– Minister Singh tells Berbicians at Muneshwer’s job fair

A NUMBER of Berbicians now have the opportunity to become gainfully employed following a successful job fair hosted by Muneshwer’s Limited, a  Guyanese-owned conglomerate with headquarters in Georgetown.

Among those who attended the recruitment drive on Saturday at the Tain Campus in Berbice, was a 21-year-old female welder who Executive Director, Robin Muneshwer said was full of potential despite her limited job experience. Many like her turned up to apply for job openings in more than 10 different fields.

Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh who attended the event, used the opportunity to call on all Guyanese to be open-minded and flexible to new opportunities that are being created in Guyana, especially in the new and emerging sectors.

“Adaptability, agility, nimbleness, mobility …be willing to move and I’m not speaking about geographic mobility here, that is moving from one region to another. I’m speaking about occupational mobility…it is important within the labour force that we need to convey more widely that flexibility, agility and nimbleness, willingness to be mobile is very important in the modern economy,” he said.

He told the media that the government is doing its duty by creating an
environment that fosters investment and provide training.

Noting that the private sector is responding positively, he said that the population needs to be able to take advantage of the opportunities as they present
themselves.

“I want to emphasise that government would do its part to create the training opportunities and government would also do its part to encourage companies like Muneshwer’s to do their part; and it’s obvious the private investors are doing their part, but it’s essential that at the individual and household levels they do their part as
well,” he said.

HIGHER AGENDA

He cited the recently launched heavy-duty equipment operator training programmes in Berbice which will accommodate more than 220 persons and the forging of a partnership with five leading manufacturing companies, through which 43 persons will be trained through a joint venture between the Canada-based George Brown College and the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL). Upon completion of the latter programme, those persons will fill programmable logic controller (PLC) vacancies. He explained that this is a highly computerised environment that is used in manufacturing operations.

The Senior Minister reiterated that these are clear illustrations of the higher agenda the government is rolling out to equip people with the skills that are relevant in today’s economy.

“We welcome the creation of good-quality jobs and we welcome good-quality jobs being filled by Guyanese. In fact, equipping the Guyanese people to fill the good- quality jobs that are now being created in greater numbers in the new and emerging economies is a task that we take very seriously and in particular, training the Guyanese to fill those jobs. To perform those jobs is something that we attach the highest level of importance to and you could not ask for better evidence
that jobs are out there,” he said, before adding that the good-quality jobs that are available require technical skills and will have very good earning potential and good upward-mobility potential.

He said that it’s a welcoming initiative by Muneshwer’s and he used the opportunity to encourage other companies to emulate them by rolling
out similar fairs across the country to recruit locals for available jobs.

Muneshwer’s through its sister company Guyana Shore Base Inc. held several other jobs fairs which resulted in hundreds of persons being employed.

“I want to encourage the working population to explore new types
of employment opportunities, to be open-minded and willing to be
flexible to adapt; to explore new frontiers, acquire new skills for new
vocations, new opportunities,” he added.

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

Meanwhile in an invited comment, Robin Muneshwer alluded to the human-
resource challenges facing many companies and said that with the continuous
and rapid expansion, workers are needed.
It is with this in mind that the recruitment drive was brought to Berbice.

He explained that his grandfather and founder of their company was originally from Port Mourant and he moved to Georgetown to start a business, which has since grown into one of the largest in the country.

Against this backdrop, he expressed hope that Guyanese in other parts of the country will be given an opportunity to be recruited and to realise their full potential.

“…we decided to make this outreach to Berbice since the government has been advocating companies to come to Berbice and create opportunities for this area, because as you know there is heavy concentration in Georgetown. Companies are
looking at other parts of the world…to recruit people, but we also said why go halfway across the world when there might be people 20-40 miles away. That’s why we are here,” he said.

Berbicians came out in their numbers to be considered for the openings with many expressing their appreciation for the opportunity to be considered.

The process was smooth and quick with persons queuing up to be interviewed.

Among the applicants was an experienced welder of New Amsterdam who said he felt very confident after the interviewing process. He said that he will be able to make the transition to the capital city once selected.