Revised Scheme to Arrest Exodus
HOW GOVERNMENT LOOKS AT REVIVING SCHEME TO PLUG VACANCIES LEFT BY SKILLED LABOUR AND BRAIN DRAIN
Government is keen to revive apprenticeship schemes as a facilitator to become employer-led and establish an even playing field.
This is to curb the skilled labour shortage in the country.
On Friday, more than 70 students in Suva received grant letters for a pilot run.
Government allocated 400 incentive grants for apprenticeship in the current budget at $330,000. A total of 230 awards were given to apprentices in Suva, Lautoka, Labasa, Taveuni and in Levuka.
Chief guest and Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh said there needed to be more awareness on the apprenticeship scheme in high schools.
Work together
He urged employers, Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service (TSLS) and FNU to work closely with Ministry of Education and school-based careers teachers. Mr Singh said the awareness should expand to parents and wider communities continued awareness would bring change and positive uptake of apprenticeship training.
“Government is ready to improve governance of this scheme and play a facilitation role with employers, training providers and apprentices to safeguard everyone’s interest,” Mr Singh said.
“I reiterate that at a time when we are faced with skilled migration, we need all hands of deck in a harmonised way rather than in ‘silos’ and the coalition Government will review where applicable, governance of training mechanisms for best national outcomes.”
Challenges
Mr Singh said labour mobility was a global trend, with Fiji faced with the exodus of skilled workers.
“We need all hands on deck to arrest this exodus.”