The Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA) has already filled more than half of the 1,800 vacancy notices received from employers this year, realising the Labour Ministry’s vision of providing job placement for those so inclined.
Head of the CRMA, Valerie Moore, yesterday confirmed to the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the unit received requests for 1,800 employees, most of which were filled.
There were 450 outstanding vacancies from 2009 that were not filled by the CRMA because of the nature of the jobs and the shortage of skills in the particular field, including welding, fabrication, electrical, sales and driving.
Employers’ requests for security officers, porters and labourers and other trades requiring persons to work on a shift basis were also difficult to fill.
The Ministry of Labour is still working to establish its online vacancy registration database which will eliminate the need for persons to physically register at the CRMA.
This year, the Ministry is targeting the placement of 2,500 applicants. Last year, 2,023 persons were employed out of 2,479 requests made by employers.
“These numbers indicate that in spite of the 2009 economic crisis and doom-sayers predictions and criticisms, our economy has been performing well and the partnership that has been established between the public and private sectors is working quite effectively, especially for the benefit of all our people,” Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir had commented.
He noted that the partnership cannot be over-emphasised because of the private sector’s support for job placements and training programmes.
As at December 18 last, the 2,006 persons who were placed in jobs constituted the highest number recorded in the last 10 years.
An analysis of the data revealed that applicants seeking jobs for the past three years have increased by 98 percent, from 1,352 in 2006, to 2,073 in 2009.
Vacancies listed with the agency have increased 145 percent from 1,001 persons in 2006 to 2,456 in 2009.
Job seekers who were employed represent a 102 percent increase as compared to 2006, with 994 people. (GINA)