Skills development programme |13 November 2019

The graduates in a souvenir photograph with guests (Photo: Thomas Meriton)

School leavers get a second chance to graduate

A group of trainees who have successfully completed their training under the Skills Development Programme of 2018-2019 have received their certificate.

The programme, which was officially launched in 2016, allows youths who have not had the privilege to graduate at either secondary or post-secondary level to undertake skills development training at various work organisations for 6 to 18 months.

From 2018 to date, there have been 804 participants who have registered on the skills development programme and out of this 121 have successfully completed their training, 77 have secured employment and 44 are being assisted to find a job.

There are 208 trainees who are presently still active on the programme.

The certificate presentation ceremony was attended by the Minister for Employment, Immigration and Civil Status, Myriam Télémaque, various principal secretaries, representatives of work organisations and family members of the trainees.

Adolphe Antat, the senior human resource and training supervisor at Le Meridien’s Fisherman’s Cove, which has been a faithful partner of the programme since its launch in 2016, took to the stage to explain why the organisation chose to become a faitful partner of the programme.

“We felt that it was important because this programme falls in line with Le Meridien’s core recruitment strategy,” he explained.

“At some point we have had as many as 12 trainees on property and every trainee is different; they all have their specific needs so therefore they have to be treated differently,” Mr Antat reflected.

As for the principal secretary for employment, Jules Baker, he said he was pleased that some of the trainees have already secured employment while others are being assisted with his department to obtain employment.

He revealed that some trainees even secured employment before they completed the skills development programme due to their good performance and attitude.

Eight trainees had secured employment before their training had completed and according to PS Baker, “these results are encouraging, more so now that we have an ever growing number of establishments that are willing to train and employ our young people”.

“The government acknowledges the importance of training for young unskilled job seekers as part of continuous efforts to reduce youth unemployment in the country. The ministry holds the responsibility to market employment programmes, register potential trainees, refer them to various establishments and monitor their progress.”

Youth unemployment rate stands at 9.7% as of March 2019 and PS Baker asserted that the government remains committed to ensuring that youths are employed and remain employed

Nonetheless, the skills development programme has had its fair share of challenges such as trainees who drop out and PS Baker explained that the department of employment has empowered thirty trainees through soft skills sessions at The Guy Morel Institute to address this issue.

R3 million are allocated to the programme and the budget is used for payment of the trainees’ allowances, bus passes, soft skills training and the day-care allowance of R500 for young mothers who are on the programme.

The ceremony also included an inspirational testimony from young trainee, Shiranne Jules, who was unable to complete her post-secondary studies because she fell pregnant.

She noted that her child however has become her anchor and rock, and has pushed her to seek employment and join the programme.

After being posted at the postal services and demonstrating her capabilities, she was offered a permanent post as postal assistant.

For Shiranne, like for many others, the programme proved to be a second chance to graduate after months of hard skill building training at professional workplaces.

Seychelles NATION wishes the three trainees who interned at the organization – Ed Elizabeth, Anel Robert and Lorraine Larue – all the best in their future endeavours.

Elsie Pointe