The Secretariat of State for Vocational Training Policy and Employment (SEPFOPE) has provided funding to 16 vocational training centers.
General Director of SEPFOPE Jacinto Barros said SEPFOPE had allocated $371,846 through the human capital development fund (HCDF).
The main role of the training centers is to prepare young people for the job market and provide them with practical skills.
He urged the centers to use the funding responsibly and submit their budget reports by the due date.
He said the centers provided training in a range of specific areas such as hospitality, administration, agriculture, carpentry, dressmaking, livestock, horticulture, mechanics and English.
He added that the employers kept questioning the ability of Timorese workers and that’s why the government continued to support the training centers to form the qualified and responsible workers.
This year, SEPFOPE received 200 proposals for training programs from various centers, but only 16 proposals were selected based on their good track record.
HCDF representative Arcenia Madeira said the government had an obligation to strengthen national training centers and provide opportunities for young people.
For example, in the past HCDF invested funding in a Korean language training center, but she said the focus would now be on strengthening local needs in the country.
Madeira also called on center directors to use the funds appropriately.
Meanwhile, the Director of Comoro Vocational Training Center (STVJ), Norberto da Costa, thanked SEPFOPE for its continued support in providing training opportunities for young people.
“Our training is specifically about customer service, sales and certificate level IV for trainers,” he said.
He said the objective was to develop human resources in terms of ability and capacity so that young people were able to create their own business opportunities.
He added STVJ center has provided training to many young people in various sectors and after graduation some of them found work in government institutions NGOs and other agencies.
