Pritchard (left) accompanied by Vanessa (second left) trying his hand at cupcake frosting during the E4E launch at Megalong Mall in Penampang yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah graduates should be proactive and take on training programmes to heighten their employability rate, said Political Secretary to the International Trade and Industry Minister, Pritchard Gumbaris.
Pritchard, who pointed out that the Sabah’s unemployment rate is around five percent, said the Penampang Parliamentary Office welcomed collaboration with organizations to help the district’s folk gain employment.
“All of you should strive to achieve or participate in programmes such as this to enhance your personal skills and eventually have the chance to get a job,” he said during the launch of English 4 Employment (E4E) programme at Megalong Mall here yesterday.
“English is definitely super important because now we deal with a lot of English speaking companies. We deal with English speaking clients or people in our workplace,” he added.
The event, jointly organized by the Penampang Parliamentary Office and Cosmopoint College Kota Kinabalu, was intended to introduce free eight weeks programme to Penampang graduates.
All unemployed graduates starting from the certificate level have the opportunity to be amongst this session’s 48 shortlisted for the eight weeks programme that includes four week training with a RM125 allowance per week, and a four week internship programme with RM120 allowance per week, with one of Cosmopoint’s over 40 industry partners in various fields in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
However, the political secretary stressed English is not the only ingredient needed to be successfully employed in Sabah today.
“Graduates today cannot solely rely on or choose a field of work based on the course they are studying.
You all need to diversify your skills to find employment opportunities in the market of today,” said Pritchard, who was representing Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Darell Leiking at the launch.
“You all should try to participate in these kinds of training programmes, and not be angry at us in the future by saying that the government did not provide such opportunities,” he said, adding the Penampang Parliamentary Office would try their best to help the people but cannot spoon feed or serve jobs on a platter for the district’s unemployed graduates.
Pritchard also proposed for Cosmopoint College Kota Kinabalu to include subjects to teach students to work harmoniously with people from a diverse religious and racial background.
According to Cosmopoint College Kota Kinabalu branch chief Vanessa Faye George, the program is the second held since 2017.
“In 2017, a total of 100 students participated in the programme and 90% of students have gained employment through it,” she said.
“We are targeting 48 graduates to join this programme and will hold another one according to the demand in 2020.
“The enrollment starts today until February 22. The district’s graduates can contact the Penampang Parliamentary Office whilst interested graduates throughout the rest of Sabah can contact Cosmopoint College for the enrollment. Selected candidates will start training on March 2,” she added.