Research conducted by the Secretariat of State for Vocational Training Policy and Employment (SEPFOPE) in 2015 showed that of 3800 youths who received training in various areas, 58% of them remain unemployed.
General Director of SEPFOPE Jacinto Barros Gusmão said although many young people had good skills and abilities, their lack of work experience often made it difficult for them to enter the job market.
“Our three research studies show that from more than 3,000 people, 42% of them found a job and 58% of them are jobless due to limited work experience,” he said.
Of the 42% who had since found employment, most were working in the construction, banking, retail, hospitality and mechanics sectors.
To help increase job vacancies across the country, he said the government reformed the administration, fiscal, economic and legislation to help improve the economic sustainability of Timor-Leste.
As part of the government’s commitment, SEPFOPE is required to provide training to 2500 young people each year in language skills, construction, carpentry and other trades.
However, Gusmão said the numbers were increasing every year as there were now more than 50 vocational training centers in Timor-Leste.
Young jobseeker Cesarino Gonçalves said the big problem that they faced was the limited of field work because Timor-Leste has not had the industry yet for offering the jobs to the youths.
Although he appreciated the efforts of SEPFOPE in providing training and arranging overseas work placements, he said the number of jobless youth was continuing to increase.
“We see every year SEPFOPE provides various training in language and technical skills, but the reality shows that our country has no industry yet to offer them (young people) jobs,” he said.
He said young people in rural areas who had interest in working in agriculture received little support in terms of equipment or access to markets.
Meanwhile, national MP Virgilio da Costa Hornai said SEPFOPE’s responsibility was to provide training to help make young people more competitive in the job market, not to actually provide jobs.
“I think that our youth have no initiative and creativity, particularly for exploring their abilities to earn money,” he said.
