Georgetown: Government said its recruitment agency has helped to secure jobs for more than 2000 people so far this year.
Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul said that from the 2954 persons who registered for jobs between January to December this year, the ministry’s Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency was able to find jobs for 2548.
Dr Gopaul said that this year has seen an average number of job placements compared to previous years. The minister said in 2011, of the 2919 persons registered for jobs, 2009 were placed at various agencies and in 2012 when 2825 persons registered, 2865 received gainful employment.
The categories of work for which these persons were placed during this year include clerical and office support, supervisors, typist clerks, customer service representatives and receptionists. In the case of craft and related work, persons were given jobs as welders, drivers, fitter machinists, mechanics and machines operators.
Meanwhile, for the skilled, semi-skilled and unclassified categories, persons were placed as factory workers, cleaners, sales clerks, labourers, security officers, bag bay attendant, porters, counter clerks, masons and carpenters.
In addition to the work of the manpower agency, Dr Gopaul disclosed the figures for persons trained by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) under the National Training Project for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE). A total of 1537 persons were certified, of which 646 were males and 891 were females.
Some 492 persons were trained in engineering, 45 in electrical work, 77 in building construction, 220 in health services, 513 in home economics and 190 in information technology.
Further, in the single parent training programme, a total of 447 persons were certified. Approximately 113 persons also underwent training with the Guyana Forestry Commission and 112 attended the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) evening classes and were trained in various technical areas.
The minister said that during the course of the year, employers were clamouring for workers registered by the agency. According to him, the job areas that employers are seeking to fill are commercial workers such as sales personnel, clerical staff and security personnel.
The agency has been unable to meet those demands for employers. On the other hand, Minister Gopaul said that while massive improvements is being made to have persons of all age and creed employed, his ministry is still to ascertain the level of unemployment here.
He said that this information will be provided when the Guyana National Bureau of Statistics completes compiling data of the census conducted in 2012.
In addressing the issues of underemployment for thousands of University of Guyana graduates, the minister said that there is a need to have students counselled before choosing a programme that will benefit them in the long run.
Dr Gopaul stated that too many persons are pursuing studies in the business and social sciences, for which there are limited vacancies and job opportunities.
The labour minister said that persons should instead seek to pursue studies in areas that are more marketable such as information technology and natural sciences.
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