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INVESTMENT POTENTIAL
SKILLED WORKFORCE
On average, the market sees 6,500 local
jobseekers every year. Of this figure, a total
of 2,600 are graduates holding Bachelor’s
Degrees and higher qualifications. The number
of new jobseekers is expected to increase every
year with the annual increase in the national
population, said Minister of Energy Dato Seri
Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd
Hussein at the 15
th
Legislative Council (LegCo)
meeting in 2019.
Several steps have been formulated to ensure
that human resources are used effectively
including the continuous development of skills
and competencies for locals according to industry
requirements. Jobseekers are also encouraged
to venture into the private sector.
JobCentre Brunei (JCB), which officially began
its operations in 2017, is open to all local
jobseekers and companies. The centre strives
to be a “one-stop career centre”, where local
jobseekers can use the services available to
improve their employability and marketability in
the job market. Private companies may also use
the centre’s facilities to recruit locals.
The centre offers career counselling, online
training, digital literacy, as well as assistance
on CV writing and interviews. Also available
are interviewing rooms, meeting rooms and
auditorium facilities for micro, small and medium
enterprises (MSMEs).
Various programmes and platforms for locals
to learn new skills according to industry needs
have been introduced such as the i-Ready
Apprentice programme.
The i-Ready programme is an apprenticeship
scheme that runs for three years and is
open to Bachelor’s Degree graduates and
higher qualifications. The programme offers
an opportunity for graduates to gain work
experience and skills or venture into fields
outside their academic qualifications.
As of March 16, 2019, a total of 2,098 graduates
have joined the i-Ready programme since its
inception on April 1, 2017. Out of these 2,098
graduates, 524 have secured permanent jobs
before the end of the programme.
In 2018, seven graduates were selected to
start their career abroad with Deloitte in
the consulting practice under the i-Ready
programme. Four new graduates were selected
by the company in 2019 to fill entry-level
consulting, audit and assurance positions.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Capacity Building
(PPK) is a multi-programme skill training
centre. The delivery of training programmes is
conducted by registered training organisations
based on approved syllabus adapted from
international training or leading industry
institutions. Previously in 2019, among the
programmes offered are for people looking to
become blaster painter operators, heavy vehicle
drivers, insulators, riggers, scaffolders, welders
and sales assistants.
PPK’s mission is to produce job-ready prospects
through the alignment of skills and industrial
development in the country.
The centre strives to become the blueprint,
model and leader in skills training to enable
a competent national workforce for Brunei
Darussalam and the region.