BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Thursday 27th August 2026)-“We want more of our people becoming skilled in carpentry, the trades… electricians. We want more people doing work on AC or what they call HVAC and support. We want all of those things but our people are largely going to have to become knowledge workers as they seek to find themselves in a good position in society.”
That was a message from Director of the government’s Digital Transformation Unit Nigel Carty as he addressed the future of work and skills development during Episode #2 of Conversations: Reflections and the Way Forward, part of the SKN Independence 43 observance events calendar.
The discussion, held on Wednesday 26th August 2026 at the ZIZ TV Studio and hosted by media personality Maurice “EK” Flanders, explored the question: “What will St. Kitts and Nevis look like in 2045?”
Economist within the Ministry of Economic Development and Investment Melicia Henry and Youth Parliamentarian and Youth Advocate Mauriel Knight were also panellists for the Season Four discussion.
Carty was asked how he thought St. Kitts and Nevis would look from an infrastructural standpoint in 2045.
He responded: “I think about education. I think about how people are going to be able to find their way, find their places in society and that is going to be assisted through education, and our education system is going to have to change to accommodate what the world is developing to be.”
Carty referred to changes that have taken place in the Federation’s economy, including the closure of factories on the industrial estate.
“That’s just part of the evolution of the economy. So, we want young people to orient themselves more and more towards becoming knowledge workers,” he said.
He continued: “We want people who are going to be able to find themselves working as accountants, engineers, people working in the arts, and yes, too, we have, I believe, at this stage, an opportunity for us to develop skills among our young people so that they can find themselves properly fitted into the economic sectors.”
Carty also spoke about young people who may have lower levels of education or skills and the need to develop programmes to help them acquire skills.
“So, for example, if our young people who are less skilled, maybe people who are not operating a certain level of education, finding themselves in a position where they can fend for themselves and their families, we are going to have to make sure that we develop programmes that impart to them the kind of skills that earn them a place in society,” he said.
Carty also addressed the continued importance of skilled trades.
“We want more of our people becoming skilled in carpentry, the trades, whatever, electricians. We want more people doing work on AC or what they call HVAC and support.”
“We want all of those things but all people are largely going to have to become knowledge workers as they seek to find themselves in a good position in society.”
