Sets’ first clients to start work soon |11 July 2020

A client picks up her certificate

A first group of 88 workers who have either lost their jobs or have been made redundant and who took part in a five-day on-boarding programme for job replacement organised by the Seychelles Employee Transition Scheme in partnership with the Guy Morel Institute have received their certificates.

The presentation ceremony was held yesterday morning at the International Conference Centre (ICCS) during the final half day of the week-long ongoing training programme. Also yesterday those who took part in the training formally registered for their choice of work placements available in other sectors.

The training was held at the ICCS and as part of the COVID-19 measures, the certificates were individually picked from the table.

Present during the short ceremony was the chief executive of the Seychelles Employee Transition Scheme (Sets) Guy Morel, the executive director of the Guy Morel Institute Shella Mohideen and other representatives of Sets and TGMI.

The clients were mostly from the tourism sector with the majority coming from the Bayan Tree Hotel which has temporarily closed down.

They were equipped with resilient skills to accept what they are going through, which is the reality of losing their jobs and to get out of the comfort zone they have enjoyed for the many years on the job and to choose another job in a new sector as replacement.

They also learned to assess their strength and weaknesses in line with the economic activities available, work transition, confidence and reflection on the right attitudes for work, among others. The Sets clients were also exposed to the various work placements opportunities available.  

“This is very hard for anybody to do and I would say that I am very satisfied with the level of motivation and the level of acceptance that I have seen from them and the readiness for them to move into something else,” said Ms Mohideen who was one of the instructors on the training programme.

She noted that the TGMI is also discussing with Sets the possibility for the workers to continue with their professional development while on work placement so as to be ready when the sector they were working in picks up.

Addressing the clients, Ms Mohideen reminded them that the going is tough and could get tougher. She also encouraged them to remain resilient in the current situation they are facing and not to quit.

“You have to see yourself as a survivor and not a victim,” she cautioned.

For his part, Mr Morel thanked the group for embarking on the programme and for taking responsibility for their personal and professional development for the benefit of their country. He called on them to remain Sets’ ambassadors and to not back down from peer pressure.

Mr Morel has called on other partners to support Sets in making sure that the workers being made redundant get an opportunity to be re-employed in this difficult time.

By yesterday morning about 50% of the clients had already chosen work placements available in different sectors and when contacted at the close of the training programme in the afternoon, Mr Morel claimed that all of them were onboard with regards to work placements and they had been given their offer letters to start work as soon as possible. The majority is expected to start work by next week.

Most of the clients who talked to Seychelles NATION said they were shocked to learn that they were made redundant but they have learned to understand, accept and to live with it. They noted that they were happy that Sets was created and this has given them the opportunity for another employment opportunity even though not in their respective fields.

“I have come to understand that this is life. I will be joining Sets’ administration as from next week,” said 33-year-old Jeremie Elizabeth who was the assistant purchasing manager at the Banyan Tree Hotel. He joined the hotel immediately after completing his studies and had clocked 15 years with them.

He added that if things do turn around in the country in the future, he could possibly find himself back in the tourism sector.

Martina Azemia, a 45-year-old a laundry attendant who has worked for 13 years with the Bayan Tree Hotel, said although it has not been easy for her to choose a work placement as the job she has been doing is not available, she is happy and looking forward to start work in the packaging section at Ocean Basket.

Sets was set up last month as a temporary scheme to help workers who will be made redundant, precisely in the private sector mostly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of Sets is to get all of its registered clients to accept work placements available in terms of economic activity where they will be paid their basic salary based on their last pay slip. It will be Sets that will cater for their salaries during the duration of the programme until the end of the year.

A similar programme will be held in the coming weeks for clients on Praslin and La Digue among other follow-up programmes to build resilience among the workers on work placements and future clients who will register with Sets in the coming months.

Patrick Joubert