Secretary of State for Vocational Training Policy and Employment (SEPFOPE), Ilidio Ximenes da Costa says the private sector has to play a role to provide jobs for youths in order to reduce the unemployment rate.
He said in 2013, SEPFOPE provided capacity building training for 3,769 youths – 2,084 males and 1,695 females – in areas such as carpentry, electronics, computer usage and administration.
Of the 3,769 who took part in the training, he said 433 people had found employment while 3,340 had not, because the private sector had not provided jobs.
“It requires everyone’s contribution, especially private Timorese sectors. We train our people we have so they can use and recognize their training to compete in the market,” SE Ximenes said at National Parliament.
He acknowledged the government’s program to send youth to South Korea and Australia to work but said Timor-Leste’s private sector should provide youths the opportunity to enhance their knowledge in specific areas.
Meanwhile, MP Antoninho Bianco recommended SEPFOPE organize a database for youths who have attended vocational training and for foreigners who come to Timor-Leste as foreigners continue to secure jobs over Timorese workers.
He also voiced concerns about SEPFOPE’s jobs policy, in particular its vocational training component and the need to prepare youths to compete in the labor market.
“In practice we do bring into being our professionals within the country to be able to compete in the jobs market in their home country and in Asia,” he said.
The same concerns were raised by MP Virgina Ana Belo, who asked SEPFOPE to train Timorese youths to a standard that would enable them to compete with foreign laborers for employment because in reality, many jobs are occupied by foreign laborers.
