SEDIA to Address Businesses’ Labour Needs; Provides Job and Skills Opportunities for Pandemic-Affected Sabahans

Kota Kinabalu (Friday) – The Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (SEDIA) is encouraging locals, whose employment had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to register in the SDC-Skills & Talent Enhancement Programme (SSTEP). SEDIA is also seeking to collaborate with business owners and employers through SSTEP, in order to match the upskilled and re-skilled locals to employers’ labour needs.

SSTEP is a human capital development initiative focused on alleviating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, by providing skills training to job seekers, and equipping them with the necessary skill sets for job placement matched to growing economic sectors as well as for entrepreneurship and home business. As part of the PENJANA KERJAYA National Recovery Programme under Budget 2021, the aim for SSTEP is reskilling and upskilling retrenched workers as well as unemployed graduates and school leavers affected by the pandemic.

SSTEP initiatives are focused not just at ongoing pandemic economic issues, but also towards post-pandemic recovery. Jobseekers are trained with the necessary skill sets meeting the requirements of industries, and prepared for the jobs market immediately after completion of training.

As at October 30, 2021, 48 programmes that are offered by existing employers and training providers registered in SSTEP have commenced since earlier this year, of which 20 programmes have already been completed. From the 48 programmes, 317 jobseekers have participated and resulted in 100% job placement/business start-up. With plenty of participants still registering to acquire skills that match industry needs, SEDIA is encouraging even more business owners and employers to be a part of SSTEP so as to match their manpower requirements to these newly-skilled participants.

There are three components of SSTEP, which are:

1. Place & Train, whereby jobseekers are employed and trained by the participating company, through in-house or external trainers;
2. Match, Train & Place, through which jobseekers are trained, and upon completion, are matched to job placement with participating employers in SSTEP based on respective skill sets; and
3. Home Business & Entrepreneurship Development, which are specific training and short courses that assist individuals to gain particular skills and knowledge through end-to-end upskill training, thus gaining entrepreneurship skills and income generation in industries such as agriculture, food production, home business, e-commerce, and business proprietorship. Upon completion of the programme, a mentor-mentee as well as business platform is established to ensure income generating activities for participants.

Further information, and registration for job seekers as well as business owners and employers, can be found at https://sedia.com.my/sstep/.