MCA Lifelong Learning initiates programme to reduce unemployment rates
The economic turmoil has caused a rise in the number of retrenched and unemployed. In such circumstances, getting a job and more importantly, attracting the employers’ attention are the two major concerns for job seekers. To help the retrenched and unemployed to seek a job, MCA Lifelong Learning and the Centre for Extension Education of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR-CEE) will be organising the Jump Start Your Career: Resume and Career Clinic on March 21st, 2009 (Saturday) at 9am at the 2nd Floor, Wisma MCA, Jalan Ampang.
This is one of the events offered under the Break Through Learning Series, which is a joint initiative by MCA Lifelong Learning and UTAR-CEE. The Break Through Learning Series aims to help lower income groups increase their resilience and break through the current economic downturn.
Programmes which will be offered in the Jump Start Your Career: Resume and Career Clinic include career talks on the topic of “How to Get the Interview and A Job in 2009”, a Resume Clinic where experts will help to fine tune the job seekers’ resumes during a 1-to-1 consultation as well as job opportunities and even walk-in-interviews available at the Hot Jobs Corner and on-the-spot recruitment by top employers in Malaysia.
In addition, the MCA Secretary-General Senator Dato’ Wong Foon Meng will officiate the Break Through Learning Series. He will also launch the newly published “Surviving Job Loss: Guide to Coping with Retrenchment” at the same event.
Job Outlook
While thanking MCA for the joint initiative with JobStreet.com and UTAR-CEE, the General Manager of JobStreet.com, Sdr Eric Sito painted a bleak scenario in the near future for jobs in the Malaysian commercial sector. He said that commercial employment in the past several months had seen a drastic reduction. “Since October 2008 till the end of February 2009, there was a 50 per cent drop in commercial jobs. The current situation makes it more difficult to search for a job.”
Sito also mentioned that three months from now, more fresh graduates will enter the job market. “From March to May when graduates from local universities complete their courses, another 100,000 to 120,000 people will enter the job force. There will be a big influx of workers as opposed to job reduction. Therefore, it will be more difficult looking for a job.
While JobStreet.com has 10,000 jobs available in its database, Sito concedes that there would be less job choices for people seeking bonuses or increments.
JobStreet.com Survey
Sito informed that a survey conducted by JobStreet.com revealed that towards the end of 2008, there was a huge drop in companies giving bonuses, increments or expanding their work force. He remarked that people in contract jobs face difficulties as “contracts can end easily. Companies will become stringent in what they require their employees to do.”
Break Through Learning Series delivers jobs
The seminar on 21 Mar 09 would be a career fair in that top Malaysian employers would be setting up booths to interview prospective candidates and possibly hire successful ones on the spot. Sito added that “consultants will analyse the resumes of participants coming and their career profiles. We are happy to bring jobs to the event.”
Lifelong Learning Break Through Learning Series proves to be timely and very necessary for participants to learn and be prepared especially amidst existing economic uncertainties. “If people want to move to another job, they have to be concerned and savvy in making that move,” concluded Sito.
UTAR Center for Extension Education CSR to the public
During an economic downturn, people start to lose their jobs as businesses cut back or close down. When that happens, the two most common courses of action are to go back to school or to start a new business.
The Director for UTAR Center for Extension Education (UTAR-CEE), Dr Prudence Goh remarked that the institution’s participation in the Break Through Learning Series is part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the public.
“UTAR-CEE’s collaboration with MCA Lifelong Learning to offer Break Through Learning Series aims to help the community acquire new skills or improve to expand job opportunities and how to stand out among those vying for a job. Awareness programmes and short courses for taxi drivers, office clerks, hawkers, petty traders as well as retrenched and unemployed workers are offered.
Aimed at benefitting the masses, the programmes conducted by UTAR-CEE are sponsored and subsidised by MCA and UTAR.
MCA rides with you through uncertain times
The coming Break Through Learning Series seminar on “Jump Start Your Career and Get the Job You Want” initiated by MCA Lifelong Learning indicates that MCA takes serious cognizance of the anxieties over job security and income losses. MCA is determined to alleviate the burdens encountered by disenfranchised people, particularly of lower income wage earners whose jobs were terminated to get back on their feet through financial independence and lowering the unemployment rate.
Admission to the event is free. Participants for the Resume Clinic are required to bring their resume. For pre-registration and enquiries please contact MCA Lifelong Learning Secretariat (03-21618044 ext 418-421) or visit MCA Lifelong Learning Website www.lll.net.my .