Malaysian Government Aims To Train 12,000 Graduates Under GEMS Initiative

Malaysian Government Aims To Train 12,000 Graduates Under GEMS Initiative
November 05, 2008 11:30 AM
Govt Aims To Train 12,000 Graduates Under GEMS Initiative
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- The government is aiming to train 12,000 graduates within a two-year period under the "Graduate Employability Management Scheme" (GEMS) which will be carried out through Government Linked Companies (GLCs) such as Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd.Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on Tuesday that the move was part of the government's efforts to provide more training and job opportunities amid the slowdown in the economy which is expected to dull the job market and raise unemployment level.The government is planning to support and coordinate the efforts of the GLCs in countering the problem of unemployed graduates by creating a programme that will increase their capacities and skills before they are absorbed or get employed by the GLC companies or the private sector.Najib said the government will also hasten the intake of staff for critical positions and those greatly required in the public sector.Currently, there are 18,000 vacancies for critical positions in the public sector. Najib said these positions can be filled up via contract and temporary employment before being permanently employed.This year, more than 1,300 staff were employed through contracts in the Works Department to raise its capacity in carrying out projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan."I wish to take this opportunity to say that the government has no plans to stop contract workers serving the government as what had been reported in the media," he said.-- BERNAMA