ECER Advances Human Capital Development

11/8/2009 — BERNAMA
The East Coast Economic Region (ECER) is forging ahead with its human capital development to help gain employment for fresh graduates and the unemployed in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and the district of Mersing in Johor.
Called the Graduate Placement Programme (GPO) and Employment Placement Programme (EPP), it began in Terengganu today with a briefing organised by the ECER Development Council (ECERDC) and the Department of Human Resources, for over 170 companies.
The ECERDC’s chief executive officer, Datuk Jebasingam Issace John said the programmes will address the dual issue of high employment and retrenched workers, especially those affected by the recent economic crisis.
“It will also address the equally large number of companies in the ECER looking for skilled and semi-skilled workers,” he added, in a statement here today.
Under the GPO, graduates will be employed by the company located in ECER for two years.
In the first nine months, participants will be exposed to on-the-job training, while enjoying a minimum monthly remuneration of RM1,200, jointly paid by the ECERDC and participating companies.
Meanwhile, the EPP places the retrenched and unemployed blue collared workers with partner companies looking for part-time, contract and permanent staff.
Issace John explained that the programme is advantageous for companies as it helps tap into the huge pool of human capital talent within the country.
“The ECERDC is targeting to place 1,350 workers under this programme.On a bigger scenario, we are trying to reverse the brain drain out of the ECER, by providing a good reason for them to come back and serve in the states within ECER,” he said.
The ECERDC has also been conducting a Skills Training Programme for unemployed, new graduates and school leavers since August this year.It involves over 2,000 participants.
The human capital development programmes under the ECER is part of the RM7 billion economic stimulus package accounced by the government to mobilise the country’s human capital resource with a view to boost economic growth and reduce the current rate of unemployment among fresh graduates.
More information about this programme is available via the ECER secretariat at 03-2035 0021/22 or any of the ECER regional offices in Kota Bharu (09-746 0021), Kuala Terengganu (09-620 0021) and Kuantan (09-565 0021).