Much in contradiction to its theme of ‘Giving Youth Opportunity to realize their Dream’ the 10th National Job Fair left young jobseekers confounded with a picturesque less than encouraging future.
If for nothing the fresh graduates found the job fair very informative but information could take them only so far for the day as they drooped in enthusiasm and energy level after visiting 35 stalls and making repeated rounds.
Most of the organizations had already recruited for the vacant posts this year and the available slots were not aligned to their qualifications.
Karma Zangmo with a Bachelors in Computer Application (BCA) said that there is no job related to her course and it’s been a year looking for a job. Another graduate with Degree in Bachelor in Arts (BA) said that it’s of no use coming to the fair as most of the vacancies are for technical graduates where some have already been announced.
Dechen Dorji a Dzongkha Honors student suggested that the government come up with courses required in job market only. “Instead of blindly coming up with new courses, policy makers should do a proper research and plan,” he added. Kinley a Law student said we asked for jobs and the companies at the fair said they came to introduce their company. “Is it a job fair or exhibition,” he asked.
The disappointed fresh graduates said some banks just wanted to use the event as a platform to advertise their ‘piggy bank account schemes’. And when it came to those that offered jobs it required a minimum of three to four years experience.
Labor minister Dorji Wangdi requested employers at the fair not to ask for ‘experience’ from the youth but to give them opportunity for internships to groom them and give them ‘the experience’.
He said this was the main reason for having the theme ‘giving our youth opportunity to realize their dreams’. At the same time he advised jobseekers not to enroll in any kind of jobs to get experience.
The labor ministry will conduct another job fair in Gelephu, under Sarpang Dzongkhag by mid- January 2013.
(Additional quotes by Puran Gurung)
People, there is always jobs in Bhutan but what is lacking is willingness to do the job. All student who have graduated shouldn’t always just look big jobs. Accepting what ever jobs comes in your way will make u excel later in that same field…We have now large amount of job seekers than jobs so its better to accept any kind of jobs that comes in our way than just aiming for big jobs–better to have a bird in your hand than to look for two in the bush…
It was a job exhibition to fulfill the promise of Ministry of lobour. Actually, there was no job.
That was a dry fair. I even told one of exhibitor, if they were wasting money…
it was more of company profile marketing and free market for some c grade institute…