11th Plan needs to create 140,000 jobs

A total of around 140,000 jobs will be required in the 11th Five year Plan according to the Annual Report (Fiscal Year 2011-12) of the labor ministry (MoLHR).

Although the MoLHR achieved 2.1% unemployment rate, much lower than the target set, yet the ministry should gear up to resolve the unemployment problem.

Six years down the line, 27,505 projected job seekers will enter the market in 2018 added to the already existent 18,682 people this year who are still unemployed. Students after 10th and 12th grade would add more to unemployment which is around 13,083.

The report states that around 21,308 students will study in the 10th and 12th grade in 2012. There are 1969 Graduate job seekers for 2012 but it would escalate to 3421 in the year 2018.

As per the Labor Force Survey (LFS) conducted in 2012 the total population is 734,851 while total persons employed are 329,487. However the total unemployed had decreased from 10,500 to 6,904 over the year.

Meanwhile MoLHR is actively involved in the facilitation and promotion of employment through numerous programs such as career guidance, employment counseling, entrepreneurial skills development, support for self- employment and organizing national and regional job fairs.

The Department of Employment placed 8,174 registered job seekers as compared to 7,025 for the same period last year. At the same time 1363 job seekers were referred to various private and corporate sectors for employment.

Besides registered job seekers, around 400 trainees undergo the Apprenticeship Training Program (ATP) annually. It prepares the apprentices for employment through attachments with a company or companies where they learn skills on-the- job.

The program also follows the public-private partnership model wherein the government pays part of the stipend and private employer pays the rest of it.

The report states that it has been very helpful for the seekers to gain practical knowledge, skills and employability.

The program has trained 105 trainees and 325 school leavers are undergoing the training program. It has been very successful in promoting employment in the private sector.

Apart from it the labor ministry to resolve the problem of large number of youth indulging in the anti-social activities during the transition period of seeking unemployment, pre-employment engagement program was also introduced.

The program supports young job seekers to engage and gain work experience until they clinch on secure job.

From 2011 till this year a total of 925 classes X, XII and university graduates registered with the ministry are engaged with various agencies for a period ranging from three to six months.

Report even states that 78 trainees, mostly illiterate women completed six months training for tailoring in January 2011. Another 40 are currently undergoing the training.

In order to create awareness and advocate training and employment opportunities 48 higher and middle secondary schools were visited, covering 12,841 students.

To support self-employment and manage small business of their own, 595 unemployed youth were trained in entrepreneurial skills.

Among the 595, 51 youths were financed through income generation start-up support program grant to start 44 small business and 58 were financed through credit Guarantee scheme operated by Financial Institutions.

A total of 1,249 students were trained in the ICT sector. Out of these 774 are employed in the ICT and other sectors within and outside Bhutan.

The training was implemented in the area of communicative skills, animation, graphic design, medical transcription, BPO and IT specific skills.

The report also stated that 100 youth under ABSD initiatives are currently undergoing training in Nursing College in South India and another group of 168 youth will be sent in the coming fiscal year.

Similarly 500 pre-service candidates were trained in the hospitality sectors, 45 trainees in Auto-CAD, 30 in heavy machine operation with Construction Development Corporation Limited and 13 in Construction Management.

Even 10 disbanded gang members were supported and provided with light vehicle driving and hospitality training programs.

However to curb unemployment more effectively the programs in the Technical training Institutes and Zorig Chhusum Institutes were also expanded, in line with 10th plan program. The labor ministry target to enhance the enrolment capacity to 90% by 2013.

The expansion includes the construction of additional classroom, workshops, hotels and procurement of tools and equipments. It has helped to increase the enrolment in the TTIs by 9% in 2011-2012 compared to previous year.

To provide broader access to vocational training the construction of new Technical Institute at Dekiling under Sarpang Dzongkhag is underway.

It is targeted for completion by the beginning of 2013 and operationalized at the same time. It is estimated to have a capacity of 288 with boarding facilities for regular courses and more than 200 trainees for a short term courses.

However to establish a uniform framework and system in the recruitment and selection process for employment, regularization of Labor and Employment Act, 2007 was established.

In order to have accessible and available employment facilitation services to different parts of the country 20 District Education officers and one Thromde Education Officer was identified as dzongkhag Employment Focal person.

They are mainly to disseminate labor market information and employment facilitation services provided by the Ministry.