Sarawak at 'full employment' category: Richard Riot

SERIAN: Sarawak currently has 1.2 million workforce with an unemployment rate of 3.3% compared to the national rate of 3.5%, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem (pix).
He said although the national unemployment rate was below four per cent, it was considered as "full employment", and the government would continue to work on various initiatives and programmes to provide employment opportunities to job seekers.
"The government will continue to strive to create more job opportunities, especially through the Career Carnival by the Labour Department, which plans to hold 20 carnivals with targeted job placements for 13,000 people.
"I was informed that up to January 2018, Sarawak Labour Department managed to accommodate 1,099 job seekers," he said when opening the Jobfair@Serian 2018 programme at the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (SJK) Chung Hua Multipurpose Hall here today.
Riot said apart from providing job opportunities, the government also strived to emphasise on technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to produce more skilled manpower.
"This effort is to shape Malaysia's future towards the National Transformation (TN50) in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's call to boost productivity, innovation and economic growth of the nation," he said.
He said that another Industrial Training Institute (ILP) would be built in Sarawak soon with a total cost of RM260 million.
Currently, Sarawak has three training institutes at Kota Samarahan, Miri and Bintulu and the construction of another ILP in the state would be able to produce more skilled workforce in line with the market.
Some 20 employers offering 1,115 jobs are taking part in the Job Fair 2018 here today which included open interviews, online job search registration, career talks, exhibitions and labour advisory services. — Bernama