Following the Government's recent announcements in respect of the Approved Contractors Scheme (“the Scheme”) and the launch of the Careers’ and Employment Development Service offered by the Department of Employment in conjunction with the Department of Education, the Government has today announced the latest developments in its continuous drive to reduce the number of registered unemployed persons.
The Ministry of Business and Employment has already identified 113 vacancies with Government Approved Contractors. Minister Costa, along with his staff at the Ministry of Business and Employment and the Employment Officers at the Employment Service, have organised interviews for individuals currently unemployed with respective service providers. The Employment Careers Service has organised a series of training programmes on interviews and other skills in order to prepare applicants for their forthcoming interviews. It is intended that these skills seminars will increase the applicants’ chances of succeeding at the interview stage.
"HM Government of Gibraltar very much looks forward to deepening the collaboration with all of its contractors. All approved contractors are reminded that they should call the Ministry of Economic Development should they have any questions regarding the Approved Contractors Scheme."
The Minister for Business and Employment, the Hon Neil F. Costa MP, said: “I really wish to give a huge and public thank you to all my staff at the Ministry and the Employment Service for their meaningful and tireless efforts. To date they have managed to organise interviews for 109 currently unemployed persons and this number is increasing in the light of the number of vacancies identified.
A special thanks also to the Careers Service for having organised a training programme to help improve the interview, presentation and other skills of these individuals. The successful selection of these applicants will mean that there will be a good number of registered unemployed persons finding gainful employment.
Even though it is very rewarding for us to assist the unemployed where we can, of far greater importance is the fact that these individuals will find the stability, meaning and purpose that comes from employment. Obviously, it is ultimately up to each individual applicant to prepare themselves for the interview and maintain a positive attitude to work in any respective post.
In this respect, it is very disappointing when unemployed persons do not attend the interviews we arrange for them and, sometimes, turn down a job, or even a number of jobs, offered to them. Such handful of persons may not realise that they make it just that little bit harder for other persons sent by the Employment Service for an interview.
It goes without saying that Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar will continue in its commitment to find gainful employment to all those who are seeking employment and are registered unemployed. It is also very pleasing to report that since the commencement of our targeted and focused drive, we have successfully found employment for 19 registered unemployed persons. We expect this number to increase in the following weeks.”
