THEY have the experience and are highly educated. So, sourcing information for jobs, in the event of retrenchment, should not be a problem. Professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) do not need employment assistance.
That is what the North East Community Development Council used to think — until now, that is.
After 43 PMEs approached the CDC in November — and90 last month — it has decided to offer such assistance, hitherto reserved for the needy, to this group.
PMEs can now register and state their employment requirements with the NECDC, which will then refer them for interviews with headhunting companies.
The CDC has found three partners — Sequoia Associates, CareerLink Consultancy and Corporate Headhunters — who possibly can match applicants to jobs as high up as a general manager position.
The NECDC expects to engage another six headhunters within the next six months.
This new PME programme — which can be found in a similar vein at Central CDC — is part of an extended economic relief package for retrenched residents in the North East that was unveiled yesterday.
The NECDC has doubled the budget set aside for such social assistance to $3 million and increased the total amount for its local schemes, which covers initiatives such as community bonding, from $7 million to $7.9 million.
In addition to PMEs, the North East Economic Relief package will help a wider group of residents now that per capita income criteria has been raised from $400 to $500 per household for schemes, for example, which provide assistance for daily provisions and transport.
NECDC expects 400 more residents to qualify under the new criteria. It now helps 2,000 residents.
Another new programme, the North East Dare To Venture Fund, offers seed funding of up to $10,000 to residents in the district to start up small social enterprises that can provide employment to the needy and benefit the community.
One successful applicant, Ms June Lim has been teaching handicraft since 1975 at community centres and was given a $5,000 grant for her business proposal to help others pick up the skill — and extra income.
One of the beneficiaries of her proposal, 48-year-old Josephine Toh, said: “By selling handicrafts, I’m able to add to my family income as my husband earns around $1,000 working overseas, and I have two children who are still in primary school.”
The NECDC has redeployed its staff from other grassroots programmes to devote more resources to these social assistance efforts. It is also looking to hire at least four full-time staff and six part-time staff to cope with the greater numbers seeking help.
North East District Mayor Zainul Abidin Rasheed said, “The assistance we give is not much. (Residents) may get $100 more. But at least they feel they get some help while they get retraining or a job. At least they can settle part of their bills such as power bills or take care of their children’s educational needs.”
Mr Zainul also hopes more corporate partners come on board. The CDC has had to dip into its reserves to cater to its bigger budget this year.
- TODAY newspaper
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