Within eight months since the launch of the National Job Bank in Guyana, Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton has announced over 300 persons were successful in securing employment.
This was announced as the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency of the Labour Ministry hosted its first Job Fair at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre on Monday.
Labour Minister Joseph Hamilton
“Against the backdrop of rapid technological changes globally and in Guyana, this launch allowed for the modernisation of the work of the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency and strengthened the network between employers and prospective employees,” Hamilton pointed out.
The National Job Bank was initiated as part of a mechanism to address employment and placement of Guyanese. With no fees attached, employers are able to post their vacancies on the platform where job seekers can browse openings.
Holistically, over 4000 persons benefitted under the agency in 2022. Recounting for 2020 to 2022, more than 6000 persons used the services of CRMA.
The Minister analysed, “One must view this from the background that when I became Minister, I realised my predecessors were attempting to disband the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency. Such a move would have resulted in greater hardship for many Guyanese.”
From the time Government took office in 2020 to present, the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) has trained over 7000 individuals thereby allowing them to become employable. This is a stark difference from the 1300 to 1500 persons who were trained under the last Administration.
Hamilton boasted that training has also been extended to remote locations like Kurukabaru, Kato, Karasabai and Paramakatoi – a first for the Ministry.
“Also, BIT was just a coastal operation. Region One, Seven, Eight, Nine; hinterland regions, riverine communities never heard of the Board of Industrial Training. So, there was no equity with regards to the training given. Today, we can boast that the highest peak in Guyana where people live, during the last two years we have had training programmes.”
The Labour Minister underscored that making persons employable is only the first aspect. It is also essential to ensure they are employed. As Guyana advances on a new developmental course, Hamilton pointed out the importance of technical and vocational education.
“In my view, we cannot seriously talk about developing this country and where we want to take it and we are failing to grasp the understanding, that without technical and vocational education training, all the plans we have cannot be successful,” he underscored.
This, he shared, paints the need for the education system to pay attention to and foster such talents within student populations across the country.
He added, “I believe, that in every classroom of 35 students, there are 10 students with the teachers trying their utmost. But for those 10, their interest is utilising their hands. Therefore, the education system must create the conditions to ensure that the same attention we pay to academic development, we must pay to technical and vocational education.” (G12)
