TRAINEES: 42,000 have already benefited
BANGI: THE government has initiated a Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF)-1Malaysia Training Scheme (SL1M) programme to reduce the country’s unemployment rate and produce a pool of skilled workers in all sectors.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Richard Riot Jaem said the collaboration between SL1M and HRDF would provide avenues for unemployed graduates, especially those from low-income families, to be recruited as apprentices or trainees in companies registered with HRDF.
“Although there is no guarantee that these trainees will be absorbed permanently into participating companies, their placement will provide the necessary platform to showcase their talents that can determine their employability.”
He said about 42,000 graduates had benefited from SL1M which is under the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister’s Department.
“I hope more graduates and companies will participate in this programme in our efforts to be a high-income nation by 2020,” he said when launching the programme jointly with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Wahid Omar at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health head office here yesterday.
Wahid urged more companies, including those outside Klang Valley, to come forward and participate in the programme as a majority of unemployed graduates were from rural areas.
“As of January this year, the unemployment rate stood at 3.3 per cent. Of the 457,000 unemployed, 98,000 were graduates. Hence, we hope this programme will increase their employability and offer them a better future.”
He said to date, 121 companies, including Media Prima Bhd, participated in SL1M while four companies had recently signed up for the programme. The four were Malaysian Airline System Bhd, Elitetrax Marketing Sdn Bhd (Harvey Norman), UMW Holdings Bhd and Parkson Corporation Sdn Bhd.
Meanwhile, Media Prima Berhad Group Human Resources Department Talent manager, Aniza Zain, said the group applauded the initiative as it could help underprivileged students by uplifting their living standards and offering good training.
“We have shortlisted about 70 candidates to be trained in various department, namely sales and marketing, advertising, finance, and communication in Media Prima, the New Straits Times Press and Big Tree.
“We aim to groom the selected candidates to be our future talents,” she said, adding that the initiative was part of the group’s corporate social responsibilities.
-NST
