The National Employment Centre (NEC) under the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment has begun processing clients into opening their Small Businesses.

Last week a total of 60 NEC clients registered under the Self Employment Service of the Centre completed their Business Skills training in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa. It will continue in Nadi, Labasa and again in Suva from 9^th – 14^th of July.

The one week Business Skills training is conducted by National Centre for Small & Micro Enterprises Development (NCSMED).

The assistance is provided through an MOU between the NEC and NCSMED for the provision of quality Business Skills training to all unemployed persons registered under this service of NEC.

Minister for Labour Industrial Relations and Employment Mr Jone Usamate said the training skills are compatible with the needs of unemployed persons and retirees.

The training will provide quality human resource development for clients to help them start their own businesses.

Mr Usamate said clients need to move away from the traditional thinking that white and blue collar jobs are the only forms of employment.

“We have 2 other thrust areas for employment which needs to be tapped on and that is SME and volunteerism,” Mr Usamate said.

“There is huge potential in the informal sector, especially farming. We have land in abundance that needs to be fully utilized in order to generate income and more economic activities,” Mr Usamate said.

It is compulsory for SES clients to undergo the Business Skills Training and meet other SME requirements in order to access seed funding provided by the NEC to operate their small business. Clients will not be able to be given seed funding unless the criteria are fully met.

The Minister confirmed that a total of 320 NEC clients have shown their interest in setting up their small business.

-ENDS-