Two Programmes For Job-Seekers
By Nela Awang

Bandar Seri Begawan - The labour Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs will be organising two programmes — one for job-seeking graduates and the other for school leavers under the human resource fund — to address the issue of unemployment among locals in the country.

The programmes are a collaborative effort between the government and private companies.

This was disclosed by the acting Commissioner of Labour, Hjh Rosliah Hj Hasbollah, during the opening of Survey Day on 'Unemployment Issues Amongst Registered Job Seekers in Brunei' at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, yesterday. She said that the programmes are designed to give exposure as well as working experience to jobseekers, and offer employers the opportunity to evaluate the employees' performance before they are taken on as permanent staff.

They are also aimed at introducing and producing local human resources who are equipped with skills and quality, and slowly relieve the dependence on foreign workforce. She added that the Labour Department will continue to identify positions currently filled by foreign workers that can be replaced or given top priority to locals.

Last year, the department had successfully organised the Career Seminar and Exhibition, which was attended by more than 1,000 participants. The Acting Commissioner also related that similar exhibitions will be held this year.

"The seminar will concentrate more on encouraging locals to be involved in the private sector by inviting international and local speakers who had achieved success," she explained.

This year's seminar will be one of the four components of the two programmes. The seminar is open to jobseekers of all ages and academic backgrounds.

After the seminar, participants are eligible to undergo training according to their areas of interest, followed by a working attachment at appropriate private companies. If they perform well and employers find that they are suitable for the job, they will be given a permanent post.

The training will be in the form of "on-the-job" and "in-house" training on computer skills, motivation, work ethics, leadership skills, basic management and interpersonal relations. Besides providing participants with basic training, the programmes will also provide them an allowance.

Hjh Rosliah advised jobseekers to adapt themselves to the demands of the current job market to continue on being competitive."

In the same time, the labour department will assist them by identifying the categories of industries to accommodate local jobseekers.

Working with the labour department to address the unemployment issues includes the Department of Economic Planning and Development, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

According to the labour department, the programmes will 'commence in March or April this year. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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