Private sector still struggle to fill job openings

Leo Kasim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE private sector has struggled to employ people in recent years as the number of positions filled against advertised job vacancies for both 2013 and 2014 remained below 20 per cent, according to labour market indicators from the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) yesterday.

Sourcing data from the Local Employment and Workforce Development Agency (APTK), JPKE stats revealed that out of 2,127 vacancies in 2014, only 366 positions were filled. Similarly, only 160 job posts were filled in 2013 out of 1,036 vacancies.

Meanwhile, recent data show there were 618 newly registered contributors to the Employees Trust Fund (TAP) as of October 2015.

In other labour indicators, unemployment figures in October 2015 for locals and permanent residents declined to 10,313 persons in October 2015 from 11,093 in the previous month.

JPKE attributed the lower unemployment figures to those who have either acquired jobs, took further studies or are no longer interested in seeking employment.

The reduction of 1,242 persons comprised of 187 that have found jobs and 62 who went for further studies. The decrease was also because 993 persons are no longer registered with the APTK because of reasons such as non-renewal of their registration.

About 58 per cent of jobseekers or 6,114 persons in October were aged 20 to 29 years old while 23.7 per cent or 2,444 jobseekers were aged 30-39.

In the same month, jobseekers with secondary school education made up the largest number of unemployment with 62.7 per cent or 6,467 persons followed by those with technical and vocational education with 12.9 per cent or 1,333 persons.

Those with tertiary education took up 11.2 per cent of registered jobseekers or 1,156 persons.

Registered jobseekers were also mostly women with 5,719 females unemployed or 55.5 per cent while 4,594 or 44.5 per cent were accounted for by males.

Brunei-Muara, the country’s most populated district, has the largest number of jobseekers with 6,701 persons accounting for 65 per cent of the total unemployment figure for October 2015.

This is followed by 14.8 per cent in Tutong, 14.7 per cent in Belait and 5.5 per cent in Temburong which is the country’s least populated district.

JPKE compiles its data based on reports by village heads and the APTK under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

During the Brunei Job Fair 2015, companies have expressed frustration at Bruneian jobseekers that see private sector jobs as second choice to government jobs.

Previously, the former Minister of Home Affairs Yang Berhormat Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awg Othman said that over 12,200 Bruneians were jobless in 2015.


Sumber - The Brunei Times