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My First Job Scheme |16 October 2019

My First Job Scheme

The three achievers in a souvenir photograph with President Faure, Minister Mondon and Minister Telemaque

Three recognised and rewarded

 

Edelle Crispin, Anthony Gertrude and Eddie Morel, three participants on the My First Job scheme under the Ministry of Employment, Immigration and Civil Status, were on Monday afternoon recognised and rewarded for their commitment and dedication towards their respective jobs.

In a brief ceremony at the ICCS in the presence of President Danny Faure and Designated Minister Macsuzy Mondon, the three were presented with prizes in celebration of their achievements since they joined the programme.

This programme was launched in 2016 with the aim of helping young graduates from the professional centres to secure employment, as soon as they exit their respective schools, as well as to assist those who wish to venture into entrepreneurship.

In her opening address, Minister for Employment, Immigration and Civil Status Myriam Telemaque noted that to date, 2084 graduates have secured employment, of whom 39 have made remarkable progress in their career paths and have been promoted to occupy higher positions in their respective organisations.

She also noted that the government has spent R10 million on the scheme so far, and that it is bearing fruits.

“When we look back prior to 2016, our unemployment rate was 4.3% on average and the unemployment rate for youth between the age of 15-24 was 14%. With the introduction of the scheme, which runs in conjunction with other programmes of my ministry, the unemployment rate has gone down to 2.8% on average for 2018 with the youth at 10.5%. A great achievement it has been and we should all be proud, by this I mean the government of the day, you the graduates and all our partners especially the working organisations,” Minister Telemaque noted.

She went on to state that the ministry is considering the possibility of extending the scheme to give more time to young graduates who want to start a business. Currently there are two pathways under the scheme whereby graduates choose to either be employed or start a business and they are covered under the scheme for a one-year period. However, Minister Telemaque noted that graduates who want to be employed in order to gain some experience before starting their business will have the possibility to do so.

Minister Telemaque concluded her address by expressing gratitude towards the numerous partner organisations who are collaborating with the ministry to ensure the scheme is a success.

The three participants were then presented with their tokens before being invited for a souvenir photograph alongside President Faure, Minister Mondon and Minister Telemaque.

The ceremony was animated by Sandra and Isham and Isis who interpreted songs about the importance of hard work.

Twenty-two-year old Eddie Morel recalled that he joined the scheme after he did not meet the criteria to qualify for a government-funded scholarship and that he started at Seychelles Breweries Limited (SBL) in 2016. Within one year, he was promoted to Quantity Assurance Technician and was recognised by the manager as the best lab technician. Mr Morel was further promoted a few months later until his latest promotion as a Raw Materials Store Supervisor.

“I have grabbed all opportunities that have come my way. I am a curious person and I am always willing to learn and I think the scheme is a good scheme and has been instrumental to where I am today,” Mr Morel noted.

Another recipient Edelle Crispin, started as a teller at the Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) Seychelles when she joined the scheme after having enrolled at the Seychelles Business Studies Academy (SBSA).

“It was not easy especially as I was new to the working world but I managed to overcome the challenges. After a year, the post for Operations Services Supervisor was open and my manager approached me and suggested I apply until I finally did. Two years later, in January this year I was awarded the post. It has been great and I am enjoying the challenges that come with it and learning new things,” Miss Crispin noted.

She too stated the benefits of the programme in helping young graduates forge a career saying “It is a good scheme especially since it is quite common for employers to not want to hire young graduates because they lack experience. But this scheme also allows them to benefit,” she stated.

Partner organisations also benefit under the scheme from government incentives in which they are refunded part of the salary paid to graduates on the scheme.

 

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