Although over 60 different private companies offered jobs at the Ministry of Labour’s Job Fair on Tuesday, retrenched workers are finding it difficult to find vacancies in their own fields. The Fair took place at the National Energy Skills Centre, Point Lisas and was a part of the ministry’s ten-point-plan to combat layoffs during tough economic times.
Mark Latchman, a former ArcelorMittal employee, told the T&T Guardian he could find no vacancy that fits his skill set as there was only one company present who operates in the same industry from which he came.
“Honestly there was only one company that would have jobs for people with my skills and that was Nu-Iron,” he said. “But they had no vacancies for plant operations though, they were looking for an accountant.”
However, Latchman, the father of three young children, says the job expo opened his eyes to many more possibilities.
“I think it was a very good initiative. It opened my eyes to so many other jobs that I could try to apply for, right now my wife has had to put our one-year-old baby in daycare and find a job to help pay the mortgages, so I’m trying my best to get something quickly.”
He filled out dozens of applications and registered with the ministry’s retrenched workers registry and several employment agencies who offered free registration at the seminar.
“There were so many booths I wanted to go the Central Bank one and I didn’t even get a chance. I am hoping now that something pulls through and I could get a few callbacks.”
Latchman said since losing his job last month, he has been working on and off with small contractors.
“I have been getting small jobs with a few small contractors, but those are only one or two weeks at best...there is nothing permanent or stable being offered right now.”
A former employee of OAS Construtora, who was employed on the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension project to Pt Fortin, also spoke to the T&T Guardian about the fair. The former employee, who did not want to be named, said she was confident about getting calls for interviews coming out of the fair.
“I was kinda hesitant about coming but like everyone I have bills to pay and it’s a good thing I came,” she said.
“The jobs may not be exactly what I want but if I get something, it will pay my bills and keep food on the table.”
“Those are my main concerns right now and the people were so helpful, I really feel like I would be able to get a job out of this, she said.”
Overwhelming response
Over 1,000 people showed up in the Ministry of Labour’s Job Fair at the National Energy Skills Centre (NESC), which saw 67 private companies offering hundreds of job vacancies. According to the ministry’s communications manager, Bobbi Jeffrey, while the fair was initially arranged to facilitate retrenched workers, it was expanded to cater for those are unemployed as well.
“This was a first of its kind expo and it was conceptualised as one element of the ten-point plan, the catalyst of which is the recent retrenchment of so many workers,” Jeffrey said.
“The scope was broadened to include unemployment as we realised this was an opportunity to have everyone participate. we had private companies offering jobs in every field, from administrative to security, the fast food industry.
“We also had booths from T&T Mortgage Finance Company (TTMF), from YTEPP, ROYTEC, the Ministry of Health offering screening and counselling, so it was really a collaborative effort as well.” She said conglomerates like ANSA McAL and the Massy Group also offered jobs for every skill set.
Jeffrey said the face-to-face approach with recruiters went down well with many hopeful applicants.
“The overwhelming response we got was that we should have another job fair. people were able to sit down and not feel pressured about asking questions and filling out their applications.”