OVER 300 persons have secured employment, thus far, through the Ministry of Labour’s National Job Bank since it opened in March.

This number is a marked increase in the number of persons who have been able to be placed in a job by the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA).

Comparatively, of the persons who sought jobs last year, 731 were submitted for possible employment placement, while 186 were successfully placed in jobs.

The Job Bank figures were highlighted by Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, on Monday, during his remarks at the opening of the National Job Fair at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

“Within eight months of the launch of the National Job Bank website, over 300 job seekers benefitted from the services of the CRMA, via the uses of the National Job Bank,” he said.

At the National Job Bank, job-seekers can post their credentials and employers can post vacancies, using the facility, which can be accessed at www.jobs.gov.gy. Both the job-seekers and employers will be required to register and create accounts before using the services of the job bank.

The job bank is accessible from any location where internet service is available. A virtual space which connects job-seekers and employers, the National Job Bank is managed by the CRMA.

“Against the backdrop of rapid technological changes globally and in Guyana, [the National Job Bank] launch allowed for the modernisation of the work of the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency and strengthened the network between employers and prospective employees,” Minister Hamilton said.

Established under the Employment Exchange Act in 1944, the CRMA is tasked with the mandate of matching suitably qualified persons to existing vacancies, canvassing for job vacancies to place job-seekers, maintaining vacancy records, providing advice, career guidance and counselling, as well as capacity-building for job-seekers.

“Over 4,000 persons benefited from CRMA in 2022 thus far. Furthermore, during the period 2020 to 2022 over 6,000 persons used the services of CRMA,” Hamilton said.