ILO helps tsunami victims find jobs<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post\/Banda Aceh, NAD<\/p>\n
In the space of two weeks over 3,000 job seekers in Banda Aceh
\nhave registered with an employment service center jointly set up
\nby the ILO and the Indonesian government.<\/p>\n
The number of people joining the service will likely increase
\nin coming weeks as the center plans to also make people outside
\nBanda Aceh eligible to register for jobs, said a senior official
\nat the International Labor Organization (ILO).<\/p>\n
\"The center, which was set up two weeks ago, is aimed at
\nhelping victims of the tsunami find jobs,\" said Peter van Rooij,
\nan ILO senior program officer.<\/p>\n
The center, called the Employment Service for People of
\nNanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province (Epsnad), was jointly
\nestablished by ILO and the Aceh provincial labor agency.<\/p>\n
The establishment of such a center is of high importance as
\nmany Acehnese lost their jobs after the tsunami struck the
\nprovince on Dec. 26 last year. Rooij said that at least 600,000
\npeople had lost their jobs.<\/p>\n
The 3,000 people were registered after the center placed
\nadvertisements in newspapers, camps and public places inviting
\nselected skill groups to come to the center. Carpenters,
\nbricklayers, plumbers, electricians, glazers, tilers, and
\npainters have been invited to register, said Rooij.<\/p>\n
Using information in it's developing database, the center is
\nexpected to be able to analyze labor market trends and
\nidentify any shortages. The center will help channel people on
\nthe center's list to get jobs that pertain to their expertise and
\nbackground.<\/p>\n
He said that the center had identified 2,289 skilled people
\nfrom all over the province for permanent placement and 580 for
\ncasual work.<\/p>\n
Rooij said that the center would provide two kinds of training
\nto enable people find jobs. \"The first training is vocational,
\nincluding English or carpentry skills, while the second course is
\non how they can start up their own business,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rooij said that to enable people to start and maintain their
\nown businesses, they will be provided with micro-finance for
\nmicrobusinesses as well as credit for small to medium enterprises
\n(SMEs).<\/p>\n
Ali, 24, a resident of Simpang Surabaya who used to work on a
\nconstruction project, said that he had filled in a form at the
\ncenter, and hoped to get a job soon.<\/p>\n
\"They said they would contact me as soon as there was a job
\navailable for me,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ilo-helps-tsunami-victims-find-jobs-1447893297",
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