Kota Kinabalu: The rate of unemployment is decreasing in the State, said Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Datuk Yakub Khan.
Yakub said based from the Statistics Department’s data, the number and unemployment rate in Sabah in 2021 was 184,200 (9.0 per cent) while in the first quarter of this year it was 188,300 (9.1 per cent).
“However, in the second quarter of this year the number and rate of unemployment has decreased to 177,000 (8.6 per cent) and continued to decrease in the third quarter of this year to 174,200 (8.2 per cent),” he said in his Ministry’s winding-up speech, at the State Legislative Assembly sitting, here.
He said the data showed the effectiveness of high-impact programmes such as the Pitch Borneo Programme, Technical and Vocational Training (TVET) Employment Carnival, and Hospitality Engagement Learning Programme (Help).
This was also due to entrepreneurship programmes such as the Sabah Talent Entrepreneurship Programme (Step) and various training in improving skills and youth and graduate competencies and enabled them to be more competitive to enter the job market.
“A total of 15,554 youths have been employed throughout this year through various KSTI initiatives.”
He said KSTI through the Human Resource Development Department (JPSM) in collaboration with the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) had carried out the Human Capital Development Blueprint Study 2021-2035.
“This study covers three Malaysia Plans (MPs) namely MP12, MP13 and MP14.
“The results of the study found that the high-impact sectors to be paid attention to by State Government agencies in planning training programmes are agriculture, manufacturing, oil and gas, tourism, creative and innovative, and logistics.
“These fields need to be the basis for students to continue their studies,” he said.
On the placement of JPSM staff in each district, JPSM has consistently worked with the District Office to overcome the issue.
However, he said, the public could always access the Sabah Jobs Portal and MyFuture Jobs online at any time.
“JPSM in collaboration with the Social Security Organisation (Socso) will continue to carry out the Career Carnival Tour in all the districts of the State.”
For the development of human capital, next year, he said, JPSM would implement 130 skills and entrepreneurship courses, while Sabah Skills and Technology Centre (SSTC) would implement 25 courses based on digital technology, technical and entrepreneurship, and AMC College would continue 153 ICT and language courses while Scenic would intensify its social entrepreneur empowerment programmes.
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