Insurance, Mandarin Added To Jobless Grads Training Courses

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- Insurance and Mandarin are two new courses added to the Unemployed Graduates Training Scheme based on demand and feedback from employers.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said the additions increased the number of courses provided by the scheme to 13.

"The request from employers is that they need workers who have knowledge in both fields," he told reporters after the ministry's post-Cabinet meeting, Wednesday.

He said the ministry had received 7,229 applications to attend the courses, adding that registration was still open at the training centres.

On another matter, Fong said the proposed National Skill Development Act to define the standards and status of all occupations in the country was now being fine-tuned at the Attorney-General's Chambers.

He said it was expected to be tabled in Parliament in December.

Dr Fong said the job definitions would define the employees' responsibilities and scope of work, and enable employers to determine the suitable salary to be paid.

"That would enable Malaysian workplaces to be not only well-defined but also the wage system can be very defined, and help us become more competitive in the world," he said.

He said the new standards would enable newly created occupations such as website designer or other new occupations in the information and communication technology field to be defined specifically and formally.

"Then the private sector, universities and training providers can offer training to workers to fill all these categories of work.

"For example, previously there was no such thing as a teleworker. Now we also have home-based worker, and the new Act will enable us to know what we mean by that," he said.

-- BERNAMA

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