The Secretary of State for Vocational Training Policy and Environment (SEPFOPE) has provided training to 150 Oe-cusse youths to prepare them for the implementation of the Special Economic Market Zone (ZEESM) pilot project.
Secretary of State Ilidio Ximenes da Costa said the training would allow Timorese to compete with foreign workers for construction jobs.
He said huge infrastructure projects were dominated by foreign workers, therefore SEPFOPE would continue to train Timorese in heavy machinery operation to compete.
Member of Parliament Florentina Smith said she was concerned by the quality of Timorese workers and said much needed to be done prior to Timor-Leste’s admittance to ASEAN which would bring increased job competition.
National Institute of the Development Hand Work (INDMO) director Isabel Fernandes de Lima recognized that most Timorese workers could not yet compete internationally.
A national qualification system was needed, she said.
She said qualifications required knowledge, ability and the right attitude and it was important to consult with industry to find out what they required from employees before creating a qualification system for skills such as heavy machinery operation, construction and automotive repair.
“In 2015 the ASEAN door will be opened for harmonized qualifications so we also need to introduce our qualification level in order to compete in the market,” she said.
