With the help of the Ministry of Social Protection’s Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA), a total of 156 persons were successfully employed during the first quarter of 2019.
Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer – CRMA, Valarie Moore, explained that, between January and March 2019, the agency dealt with 634 persons who sought assistance with employment, as well as other previous registrations in the agency’s database.
In order to accumulate employment, officers from CRMA visit workplaces to solicit vacancies from employers.
Moore stated that, during the first quarter, a total of 781 applications were submitted to employers. However, only 156 persons were successful.
“When we submit persons to vacant positions we cannot guarantee the person getting the job. We help persons to get to the human resource department within a short space of time. You may have all the necessary requirements but at the interview sessions you have to perform so that you can be successful. So we visited 393 workplaces, took fliers and brochures, and encourage them to use our services for free and we submit persons for employment free of cost,” Moore related.
The Chief Recruitment and Manpower Officer emphasised that there are many unqualified young people who visit the agency seeking employment. In this regard, the agency collaborates with its sister agency, the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), to train them. When those persons complete training with BIT, they return to CRMA for job placements.
Moore added that CRMA also works closely with the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) to refer and place vulnerable persons into jobs.
Additionally, during the interview Moore pointed out that CRMA officers engage in occupational counselling to find out persons’ passions and goals to properly place them. For those persons who wish to become entrepreneurs, they are encouraged to learn a trade and pursue their goals.
“We try to find out what they would like to do before offering them a job. We seek to find out if they want to do things on their own and, once that is established, we make the necessary referrals,” Moore said.
According to Moore, during the first quarter CRMA participated in three outreaches in Nismes, West Bank Demerara; West Coast Berbice; and the ‘government to the people’ outreach at Square of the Revolution where it engaged several persons.
At the ‘government to the people’ outreach, 35 registrations were done and 12 on the spot recommendations for job placements were made. Six confirmed placements were recorded.
CRMA, formerly known as the Employment Exchange, was established by the government in October 1944 for the purpose of collecting and furnishing information to employers who wish to recruit workers and persons who are seeking employment. Since that time, the Recruitment and Manpower Division has its exchanges strategically located throughout the country.
