SPM and STPM
school-leavers could match their career interests with the human resource needs
of Sarawak through a directory on human resources in the state soon. The development of such a career directory
is one of the initiatives of the School-Leavers Human Resource Development
(HRD) Council to help guide school-leavers in planning for their future in the
job market.
Studies have
indicated that the numbers of SPM and STPM school-leavers are increasing, as
they faced difficulties in getting into tightly competed places in Lower Six or
Universities. Recent statistics showed
that only about 40% of 30,829 SPM candidates are qualified to progress to Lower
Six. This figure is a growing concern
for the state government particularly in cases where school-leavers are in the
rural areas where financial constraints and lack of information could hinder
candidates’ efforts to go for further studies or skills training to enhance
their chances in the job market.
According to YB Datin
Fatimah Abdullah, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Human
Resource & Training), “Sarawak is going through its second wave of
development that is founded on K-economy or Knowledge-economy. The state needs competent human resources in
the fields of technology, science, education, ICT, agropolis and
vocational.” The career directory could
then assist school-leavers by highlighting these areas where skills are
required in the human resource demand of the state.
Formed in March 2005,
the School-Leavers HRD Council is responsible for planning and developing
training policies for SPM and STPM school-leavers, in addition to maintaining
and monitoring a database of school-leavers in the state. Members of the Council have been specially
selected to allow for the brainstorming of educational and training issues, and
proposing of research and development activities for school-leavers.
