ECER INTRODUCES HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

KUANTAN, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- The East Coast Economic Region (ECER) has
produced a training and skills development programme to boost human capital.

The Corridor Growth Skills Training Development Programme will help workers
and those retrenched learn new skills and help them find work or retain
their current jobs in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

The ECER Development Council aims to train 4,000 of the ECER's employable
population by year-end.

ECER Development Council chief executive officer Datuk Jebasingam Issace
John said this initiative was in line with the ECER's socio-economic
development and enhances the quality of life of its population.

"Part of the first stimulus package of RM7 billion, this Training Programme
Fund will help ECER employees to explore entrepreneurial capabilities. This
programme also fulfills the labour requirements needed by various
sectors within ECER," he said in a statement.

The training programme comprises three key initiatives; skills development
programme, training for fresh graduates and contract and part-time workers who
have been retrenched to join back the workforce and entrepreneurship
development.

The training will focus on the five main clusters of ECER including tourism,
oil, gas and petrochemical, manufacturing, agriculture and education.

With 4,400 new graduates estimated to enter the ECER job market by the end
of 2009, the training programme also allows for the creation of new jobs by
virtue of graduate training in entrepreneurship.
-- BERNAMA