MELAKA: Companies tendering for large government projects under the Finance Ministry are now required to provide training attachments to unemployed graduates under the 1Malaysia Training Scheme (SL1M).
SL1M secretariat head Norashikin Ismail said the new requirement, which was implemented on Aug 1, was aimed at enabling graduates to be trained under these companies.
“Before this, large companies were only implementing the SL1M programme voluntarily. We want them to come aboard now, so that they can contribute to society and see how they can help graduates earn a living.
“It is through this way that they will know what SL1M is,” she said at the launch of the 2017 SL1M Open Interview Programme (Southern Zone) at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) here, today.
She said the requirement was the result of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s call to increase the employability of graduates.
“It will be a mandatory condition that will be considered, apart from the price and services offered under a tender,” she said.
The two-day programme, which ends tomorrow, features local artistes including Faizal Tahir, Zero Maharaja Lawak Mega, Sonaone, Joe Flizzow, Altimet and Syamel.
“They were there to perform and give motivational talks to boost the confidence of participants during the programme," said Norashikin.
Norashikin added that since the implementation of SL1M in June 2011, some 127,000 graduates have secured jobs.
She also said the SL1M programme in Melaka would be the last in the southern region covering Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Johor this year.
The next SL1M programme in the West Zone will be held at Sultan Idris Education University in Tanjung Malim, Perak on Sept 23 and Sept 24.
“Here in Melaka, there are more than 100 companies that have set up 110 booths offering 15,000 job vacancies.
“We expect at least 20,000 graduates to come and apply for jobs here over the next two days,” she said, adding that as at 1pm today, 6,000 visitors came despite the rain.
Norashikin advised graduates seeking jobs to come out of their comfort zones if they want to be employed.
“I would term youths nowadays who are seeking for jobs as the ‘strawberry generation’.
“By that, I mean they want a cushy job with high pay, good boss, less work and are unwilling to go the extra mile when required to by the company,” she said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron proposed for SL1M to set up a special unit to identify jobs for graduates who are willing to work in the dirty, difficult and dangerous (3D) jobs, provided they are offered decent salaries.
“If this can be done, then we will be able to provide jobs to local graduates who are willing to work in 3D jobs.
“This will help reduce dependency on foreign labour,” he said.
On the state’s unemployment rate, Idris said Melaka’s was one of the lowest in the country at 0.68 per cent.