Unemployed and underemployed residents should take this time to improve their professional skills while they wait for the job market to recover, Choi Chin Man, director-general of the Macau Human Resources Association, has said.Currently, the government is offering subsidized training programs through the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL). It caters to unemployed Macau residents or those in specific industries, including taxi drivers, tour guides, tour bus drivers and workers from the conferencing and exhibitions sector.Participants will get a maximum subsidy of MOP6,656 during the training and will be referred to employers by the DSAL upon completing the training. The training scheme is part of the governments economic revival effort in response to the global hit caused by Covid-19.In addition, the government is offering a salary subsidy of MOP15,000 in cash to each eligible Macau resident. The cash handout for this year has been brought forward, as well as two rounds of the consumer e-voucher which provides MOP8,000 in total to all registered Macau ID holders.With many residents wanting additional cash handouts and an increase in the spending value of the consumption card, Choi stated that his association considers expanding the subsidized training program for unemployed and underemployed residents to be a more suitable and preferable policy.The training policy, in Chois opinion, can equip people with new or upgraded knowledge, making them more versatile and adaptive.The subsidized training program is a very good [policy] direction, the director-general said. Receiving training means that they will have polished skills. In future difficult times, they have the skills to choose to change profession or career path.However, he stressed the group of underemployed residents should not be forgotten. Underemployment refers to the proportion of the labor force which is being underutilized in the job market because of their skills, experience or education, or because they are working part- time roles when they could be in full-time roles.According to the director-general, many underemployed residents are earning half or even one-third of their original salaries.They still need to pay their bills house mortgage, car loan, raise their children, Choi stressed.The DSAL has also initiated a scheme with the Higher Education Bureau to arrange internship opportunities for graduating or soon-to-graduate university students. The authorities are working with entities in both Macau and mainland China to offer these students internships for six to eight weeks. When they conclude their internships, the DSAL will pair them with hiring employers. AL

The rest is here:

HR association calls on unemployed to improve their career skills - Macau Daily Times