Beyond Employment: An Examination of the Purposes of Tertiary Education – Part TWO

The shift from a holistic view of education to one that emphasizes employability is rooted in a complex interplay of historical, economic, and political factors. While I won’t delve deeply into these, it is important to note that following independence in the 1960s and 1970s, Caribbean nations prioritized education as a tool for nation-building, social development, and equality. The aim was to build accessible systems that fostered personal growth and societal progress.

However, from the 1980s onward, global economic pressures, technological change, and structural adjustment programs prompted a pivot toward market-driven education policies. These increasingly emphasized job readiness and economic output, often at the expense of more holistic developmental goals.

As the purpose of this brief article is to underscore the broader mission of education beyond mere employability, I could reference several notable Caribbean philosophers of education. For brevity, however, I will focus on the insights of Dr. Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Educational Philosophy of Dr. Eric Williams

Dr. Eric Williams saw education as the key to dismantling colonial mentalities and achieving true independence. He championed it as a vehicle to empower individuals and awaken national consciousness. Williams believed education should drive both economic and social development, producing skilled, informed citizens capable of building a modern, self-sufficient nation.

A strong advocate for curriculum reform, he insisted on incorporating Caribbean history and culture into the educational experience. He emphasized the importance of understanding the region’s legacy of slavery, colonialism, and resistance — fostering pride, identity, and a sense of civic duty. For Williams, education was about more than academic knowledge; it was about shaping ethical citizens who contribute meaningfully to the public good.

His vision remains deeply relevant, grounded in the political and social realities of Caribbean life.

A Call for Balance: Employability and Holistic Education

In conclusion, higher education must serve as a platform for intellectual, personal, and societal development — not merely as a pipeline to employment. While employability is undeniably important, an overemphasis on it risks diminishing the transformative power of education. A more expansive understanding of education’s purpose recognizes the need to balance career training with the cultivation of well-rounded individuals equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

We can achieve this by:

1. Integrating Employability with Holistic Education

Curricular models should marry the technical skills of employability with broader goals like ethical reasoning, critical thinking, civic responsibility, and social awareness. These attributes can and should coexist with vocational training.

At UCCI, for example, we have established an internal AI Committee to ensure that every student gains foundational competence in artificial intelligence. We’re on the cusp of launching an online AI module, and students who complete it will receive an official AI certificate from the institution.

But that’s only one piece of the puzzle. We’ve also introduced an Associate Degree in Cultural Studies — a bold initiative to preserve and celebrate the Cayman Islands’ and the wider Caribbean’s cultural heritage. This program equips students with the tools to critically engage with our histories, identities, and traditions.

Initiatives like the UCCI Dance Company and Culturama demonstrate that the arts are not decorative flourishes on the periphery of education — they are central to it.

As Fareed Zakaria reminds us in In Defense of a Liberal Education, education is also about creativity, imagination, and invention. Even as machine learning reshapes the job market, roles requiring emotional intelligence, creativity, and moral judgment will remain distinctly human.

In her paper, “Full STEAM Ahead: Putting the Arts in STEM” (published in the most recent edition of the Journal of the University College of the Cayman Islands), Dr. Erica Gordon, Assistant Professor at UCCI, makes a compelling case for integrating the arts into STEM education. She argues that this interdisciplinary approach boosts creativity, collaboration, and innovation — ultimately producing more adaptable and dynamic graduates.

The contemporary focus on employability need not be problematic — as long as it is situated within a broader understanding of tertiary education’s transformative role. Colleges and universities must balance the immediate demands of the labor market with the long-term imperatives of personal growth, knowledge generation, and societal advancement.

By embracing a more holistic vision, higher education can produce not only skilled workers but also critical thinkers, ethical leaders, and engaged citizens — individuals equipped to contribute meaningfully to a better, more sustainable future.

This article is a call to educators, policymakers, and stakeholders to reimagine the role of tertiary institutions in shaping the future. By fostering a more inclusive, purpose-driven educational landscape, we can empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century while remaining rooted in the values of knowledge, innovation, and socially responsible nation-building.