Virtual ‘job bank’ to come on stream in two weeks – Labour Minister

The Ministry of Labour will be launching a ‘virtual job bank in two weeks aimed at helping people in the country to become employed.

Essentially, a job bank is a database where vacancies are listed in a certain industry or even in a geographic area.

News of the job bank was first announced by Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton during his budget debate in the National Assembly.

When contacted by the News Room, Hamilton explained that the online platform, manned by the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA), will see potential employees and employers networking, and will result in thousands of job seekers accessing employment.

“We want to move away from the normal paper-based system that is inefficient and is unable to serve the people the way it should so the job bank will have a chat room feature allowing for interactions,” the minister said.

“So in two weeks time…the job bank will be launched and we ask that potential employers use the system.”

Minister Hamilton noted that this initiative will be able to push the government’s goal of providing 50,000 jobs and will also facilitate the needed training for youths before employment.

Already, the CRMA has registered over 1,000 persons seeking employment and providing occupational guidance and counselling so that they could make the right career choice.

And of that number, 731 applications were submitted to employers for possible placement, of which 186 were placed and others are awaiting interviews. Added to that, a total of 1,554 visits were conducted at various agencies to solicit vacancies for persons seeking employment.

The CRMA is mandated to match suitably qualified persons to existing vacancies; canvass for job vacancies for possible placement for jobseekers; maintain an accurate record of notified vacancies; and provides advice, career guidance and counselling to those seeking employment.