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| (File pix) Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan (fourth, left) and wife, Datin Seri Norazlina Awang Had (third, left), Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir (fourth, right), UPSI vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohammad Shatar Sabran (second, left), SL1M secretariat head Norashikin Ismail (third, right) and Slim River state assemblyman Datuk Mohd Khusairi Abdul Talib (second, left) at the launch of the event on Saturday. Pix by Salhani Ibrahim |
TANJUNG MALIM: The 1Malaysia Training Scheme (SL1M) open job interview has successfully provided graduates and job seekers access to more employment opportunities.
With its nationwide tour, job-seekers, with qualifications ranging from Year 6 to PhD, as well as the Orang Asli and the differently-abled have better access as are able to meet with their future employers.
SL1M’s last leg of its tour for the year was held at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) in Tanjung Malim in Perak, on Sept 23-24.
Graduate Farrah Syazwani Abu Shukor said proactive graduates will find this programme to be very beneficial for them especially if they are eager to start on their career path.
“There is not much opportunity offered by companies in this district. SL1M gathered all employers here, and there are plenty of jobs for us to choose from,” she said.
Farrah, 24, had just completed her studies in Bachelor of Education (Business Management) from UPSI.
“I am currently working part-time in a restaurant. I feel that it is a waste of time for graduates to not do anything after graduation. Even being unemployed for a month is considered too long for me,” she said.
She took an off-day from work to attend SL1M.
“The programme line-up was interesting; we can also improve our resumes here,” she said.
Farrah, who is the youngest of three siblings, was hoping to get an opportunity to work in the banking sector.
Her friend, Siti Salwa Kamarrudin, 23, visited the booths of various companies to participate in the open interview.
“I am waiting for their feedback as some companies are expected to get back to us in early October,” she said.
Salwa, from Taiping, had completed her studies in Software Engineering from UPSI.
“Some of my friends managed to get employment after participating in the SL1M programme,” she said.
Salwa said she was nervous to meet up with future employers but found it was good practice for job-seekers to meet and speak to them.
“I am building up my confidence for future interviews in the future,” she said.
Another graduate, Mohd Izham Mohd Razali, said he had just completed his industrial training stint and was currently looking for a job.
Izham, 23, studied International Business at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.
“Opportunities do not come often for the graduates and if I were to be selected for the training, I would definitely grab he opportunity,” he said.
He said the SL1M programme was really helpful for graduates as there was a wide range of jobs and companies to choose from for the training.
An Orang Asli of the Jakun tribe, Nazra Basir, was also given the opportunity to shine at SL1M programme.
Nazra, had opened a booth to sell her Gaharu-based perfume after being unemployed for more than a year.
Nazra, 28, is a graduate from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka.
“I hope this will serve as a motivation for all graduates including the Orang Asli youth to pursue their dreams even if they are not being offered jobs,” he said.
He said the youth need to learn how to survive by creating opportunities for themselves.
The two-day event drew in a crowd of 20,000 visitors and was officiated by Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
Zambry lauded the call by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to prioritise participating companies of the SL1M programme for government tenders and projects.
“I will inform companies in the state on this matter to encourage them to participate in training more youth for employment,” he said.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan and SL1M secretariat head Norashikin Ismail.
The SL1M programme is under the EPU and aims to boost the employability of graduates through on-the-job and soft skills training.
Rahman Dahlan said since its inception in June 2011, about 135,000 youth have benefitted from the programme.
“Based on our experience, the companies will absorb the workers who had demonstrated good performance during their training stint. The training period is the best chance for them to show their great personality,” he said.
He urged graduates not to give up easily. “There are ample opportunities in the country as our unemployment rate is between 3.2 and 3.5 per cent,” he said.
He said in the transition from university to career, graduates should not assume that the career offered to them will not give them success in the future.
“This is especially important for graduates who are offered jobs which are different from their field of study,” he said.
Rahman said graduates need to embrace all opportunities as a stepping stone for them to bigger things in life.
He noted there was an increase in the participation of companies into the SL1M programme after Najib made the call to prioritising these companies for government contracts and tenders.
Rahman said as the SL1M programme is mostly self-funded, it showed good coordination between government agencies and participating companies including government-linked companies in building the nation.
He also expressed his gratitude to the Perak government for hosting the SL1M in UPSI.
Norashikin was impressed with the overwhelming support received, with 10,000 visitors on the first day.
The two-day programme offered 12,000 job opportunities by about 60 companies.
“Companies are more keen to take SL1M trainees because they have seen the undergraduates’ progress before their own eyes,” she said.
Norashikin said there were also strong-willed participants who came to the programme despite being wheel-chair bound.
“I hope for all companies to give an equal chance to all graduates including the differently-abled,” she said, adding that the government helped all groups of job-seekers.
SL1M trainees will undergo a training programme with the maximum duration of a year.
Among celebrities joined the event were Caliph Buskers, Nastia, Kumpulan Zero Maharaja Lawak, Faizal Tahir, Usop Mentor, Hazama and Datuk Ustaz Kazim Elias.
Other highlights of the programme included food trucks and crafts made by the differently-abled group and Orang Asli.
Original article: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2017/09/284073/providing-opportunities-job-seekers
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