Articles and Press Release

 

The contract signing ceremony for iSkills Cohort 1 organized by the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) Secretariat, Prime Minister's Office took place on Friday, 25th November 2022 at Bridex International Conference Centre in Jerudong.
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Permanent Secretary (Higher Education), Ministry of Education, Dr. Haji Azman bin Ahmad as a member of the MPEC Working Group was the guest of honour.
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Also present was Pengiran Hajah Siti Nirmala Binti Pengiran Haji Mohammad, Permanent Secretary (Wawasan) at the Prime Minister’s Office.
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This marked another milestone for the iSkills and Industrial Skills Qualification (ISQ) programme whereby during the event, a total of 105 students signed their contract of employment and a further 15 students signed their apprenticeship contract under the i-Ready Apprenticeship programme.
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Dr. Haji Azman bin Ahmad, in his speech, shared that over the last few years, the iSkills and ISQ programme have been enhanced through the MISC Working Group for Energy with the support of the industry to supply the local talent for manpower demands.
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He expressed appreciation to 10 participating companies namely Adinin Works and Engineering Sdn Bhd, Amec Foster Wheeler (B) (Wood Plc) Sdn Bhd, Borneo Systematic Sdn Bhd, Mashhor General Contractor Sdn Bhd, Massutera Engineering Sdn Bhd, Megalift Sdn Bhd, Muara Maritime Services Sdn Bhd, Serikandi Oilfield Services Sdn Bhd, Tendrill International Sdn Bhd and Syarikat Rekayasa Innovasi Sdn Bhd for their support in capitalizing the readily available local talent by offering employment and apprenticeship to the students.
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He hoped that with the continuous effort, together we will be able to contribute to the nation’s aspiration of achieving skilled and highly accomplished local workforce. He also hoped that the students will continue to apply and develop the skills and knowledge that they have gained throughout their 15 months of training, to make full use of their learnings, skills as well as industry experience to become a valuable asset to their company. He shared that the students time during the Program Jati Diri at PKBN Temburong Camp has strengthened their personal values particularly their integrity, resilience, spirituality, good discipline and responsibility.
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He further added that this achievement would not have been possible without the collaboration and continuous support from Government agencies, local institutions and industrial players as well as parents and students.
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The ceremony is one of the main highlights in conjunction with Pesta Kerjaya 2022 which is held for 5 days from Wednesday, 23rd November 2022 until Sunday, 27th November 2022 from 9.00 am until 5.00 pm, except on Friday starting from 2.30 pm until 5.00 pm at Hall 1 & 2, Bridex International Conference Centre in Jerudong.<br><br>

In the effort towards supporting welfare recipients that are able-bodied and able-to-work in the country, the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) Secretariat with the support of Department of Community Development (Jabatan Pembangunan Masyarakat, JAPEM) under Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and Department of Brunei Islamic Religious Council (Majlis Ugama Islam Brunei, MUIB) under Ministry of Religious Affairs held a two-day Pre-Pesta Kerjaya workshop on the 14th and 15th November 2022 at JobCentre Brunei (JCB). A total of 26 welfare recipients participated in the workshop.
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The objective of this 2 days’ workshop is to prepare participants for the upcoming Pesta Kerjaya scheduled to be held on 23 – 27 November 2022 at the BRIDEX International Conference Centre by providing them with the necessary tools upon entering the world of work. The workshop included talks on motivation, personal grooming, CV and interview clinics and were conducted by JCB and a local consultancy firm, EPIPEOPLE Consultants as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative.
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On the first day, a motivational talk was given by a representative from EPIPEOPLE Consultants on overcoming challenges towards securing employment. Tips on how to prepare for job interviews as well as ways to answer interview questions was also shared by JCB representative.
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The second day of the pre-Pesta Kerjaya workshop focused on how to make a great first impression on potential employers which included creating and enhancing CVs guided by JCB representative as well as tips on personal grooming shared by the consultancy representative. Personal grooming tips not only covered on how to dress appropriately when meeting employers but also on how we showcase ourselves which is key to impressing potential employers.
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Pesta Kerjaya 2022 organized by the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office will be held at Hall 1 and 2, BRIDEX International Conference Centre, Jerudong from Wednesday, 23rd November 2022 to Sunday, 27th November 2022 from 9.00 am until 5.00 pm, except on Friday where it will be opened from 2.30pm until 5.00 pm.
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Over 40 employers representing various industries from the private sector will be participating in the upcoming recruitment fair, offering over 1500 job openings. The 3-day event will be held at OneCity Shopping Centre, from Friday to Sunday, 12th to 14th August 2022 from 9am until 5pm, except on Friday where it will start at 2.30pm until 5pm.
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Organized by the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) Secretariat including JobCentre Brunei (JCB), the fair offers exciting opportunities for local jobseekers to explore available career opportunities in IT, Oil and Gas, Construction, Retail, the Food and Beverage (F&B) industries and others. Amongst others, these includes these includes accountants, engineers, developers, waiters, sales and marketing assistants and many more.
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Many activities are planned for the Recruitment Fair catered for the local jobseekers. There will be exhibitions from participating employers, walk in interviews and a series of exciting talks. The participating exhibitors will showcase their organizations at the exhibition area which is at the Ground floor and 1st floor of OneCity Shopping Centre, where jobseekers will have opportunities to interact and gather employment information directly from the respective company representatives.
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Jobseekers are advised to bring along copies of their updated CV and to come prepared, as a number of employers will be conducting on-the-spot interviews. The walk-in interviews will be conducted at zone C, 1st floor of Onecity Shopping Centre where a number of sessions are scheduled: on Friday from 2.30 pm to 5.00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to noon and from 1.30 pm to 5.00 pm.
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The MPEC Secretariat and JCB will also be showcasing several of their programs and initiatives on ground floor, OneCity Shopping Centre which will include the upskilling and reskilling programs such as the Skillsplus, SPIN as well as the iReady Apprenticeship Program. The iReady Apprenticeship Program and other MPEC Secretariat initiatives will also be covered in forums and sharing sessions, along with topics such as becoming a quality jobseeker, developing the local workforce in the IT, retail, and administrative sectors. The MPEC Secretariat will also be providing information on the latest available and in- demand jobs for the next 5 years in several sectors. All these aims to provide avenues for jobseekers and other members of the public to upskill or reskill themselves in order to enhance their marketability and employability. Other services like JCB registration for jobseekers and companies, job matching consultation, assistance on CV and interview tips will be also made available.
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To ease access to the Recruitment Fair, shuttle bus services will be provided and it will run between the OneCity Shopping Complex and the parking lot of International School Brunei (ISB), Jalan Utama Salambigar. During the 3-day event, the shuttle buses will operate from 9 am until 5 pm except on Friday, where it will operate starting at 2.30 pm.
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Further information such as the Recruitment Fair handbook and any other related announcements will be posted on our Instagram account at @jobcentrebrunei. To seek more information on the Recruitment Fair, please contact the Recruitment Fair Secretariat at +673 8239933.
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The Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC), officially launched Private Sector Salary Guideline and ‘MPEC’ official website, on Wednesday, 22nd February 2023 at the Banquet Hall, Prime Minister’s Office building.  <br><br>

Present as the guest of honour and to officiate the launching was Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II as the Chairman to the MPEC. Also present at the event were members of the MPEC Council, MPEC Working Group and representatives from the private sector.  <br><br>

The launching of the Private Sector Salary Guideline and MPEC Website marks another milestone for MPEC since its establishment in 2019. <br><br>

The Salary Guideline serves to support the private sector in creating competitive and attractive salary packages that enable employees to gain meaningful and long-term employment as well as progress within their profession. There are 22 job families identified in the guideline and developed based on the industry’s demand with high local retention interest. The development of the Salary Guideline by MPEC is a significant first step towards ensuring local jobseekers and employees receive salaries that are suitable to their skills and productivity at each level of the career ladder. This initiative is in line with the goals and outcomes stipulated under Wawasan Brunei 2035, which aims to achieve a highly productive and sustainable economy through the creation of quality employment for the people. <br><br>

During the event, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah underscored that having quality workforce and pool of talent with growth mentality is critical to the nation. Yang Berhormat Dato further stated that it is human assets that differentiates an organization from its competitors and that it is only natural for employees to be provided with fair compensation, labour market security, as well as a decent working environment to further stimulate their performance.  <br><br>

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yang Berhormat Dato further underlined the importance of manpower, especially those who have helped businesses to remain open during times of crisis. Recognising this, Yang Berhormat Dato stated that the hard work of employees must be valued and compensated reasonably in order to continue to raise their living standards, drive productivity and promote economic as well as social progress in order to achieve a long-term and inclusive economic recovery. <br><br>

Yang Berhormat Dato also urged employers in the private sector to utilize the Salary Guideline as a means to exercise best practices in developing competitive salary packages to attract and retain potential employees. It is also hoped that the guideline containing the recommended salary scale based on the identified job positions at the starting point of each career can be used as reference for employees. Yang Berhormat Dato also called for the Chambers of Commerce to encourage their members to use the Salary Guideline as it can provide value to both employers and employees toward promoting the growth and productivity of the nation. <br><br>

The event also witnessed the launching of the MPEC official website, which aims to provide the public with easy access to beneficial information on MPEC initiatives and programs including the newly launched Salary Guideline, i-Ready Apprenticeship program, upskilling and reskilling programs; employment services through the JobCentre Brunei Portal; as well as labour market statistics and trends. It will also act as a platform for MPEC to conduct research, surveys and obtain feedback from the public on matters related to manpower and human resources. <br><br>

For more information on the Salary Guideline and MPEC website, the public are welcome to contact MPEC Secretariat, JobCentre Brunei Building, Jalan Perindustrian Kampong Beribi, at telephone number: 2444100 or through email: mpec@jpm.gov.bn.

This year welcomes the 19th ISB Borneo Global Issues Conference where the theme this year is “SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth”. This annual conference is a student-led initiative which aimed at raising student awareness on global issues and developing their leadership, critical-thinking as well as public speaking skills through the Model United Nations (MUN) simulation. <br><br>

On behalf of MPEC Secretariat, Dr. Hajah Siti Haziah binti Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, Head of the organization, delivered a keynote address supporting the theme. She highlighted on the role of MPEC in addressing unemployment, the evolving world of work and the importance of acquiring new skills to remain relevant in the job market. <br><br>

MPEC Secretariat will continue to offer collaborative support in the organization’s efforts to tackle unemployment in Brunei Darussalam.

MPEC Secretariat including JobCentre Brunei participated in this year’s MSME Festival held at Bridex, Jerudong from the 16th to the 19th of March 2023. The MSME Festival is an annual event where government bodies, private agencies as well as small, medium and micro enterprises come together to showcase their products and services to members of the public. <br><br>

The four-day event also comprises of various talks and forums held by selected speakers discussing relevant topics. MPEC Secretariat and JCB’s booth saw a lot of visitors from the general public especially jobseekers and also small businesses who were interested in our programmes such as i-Ready Apprenticeship and SkillsPlus.

The Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office, has been alerted by the public with regards to texts from foreign registered phone numbers that claimed to be representative from JobCentre Brunei. The representative offered employment opportunities and requested personal information to be shared via the Whatsapp application. <br><br>

The MPEC Secretariat would like to inform that we have never issued texts through foreign registered phone numbers. Therefore, the public is advised not to respond to such text messages and not to share personal information including bank account details to any unknown parties. <br><br>

The public are also advised to block unknown numbers and be aware of any suspicious links sent. For further details, please visit JobCentre Brunei’s official Instagram account @jobcentrebrunei or official website at www.jobcentrebrunei.gov.bn or call the JobCentre Brunei Hotline at +673 8239933 to verify any information or employment opportunities offered.

The Manpower Planning and Employment Council Secretariat received a courtesy visit from Her Excellency Caryn R. McClelland, Ambassador of the United States of America to Brunei Darussalam, earlier this month. The visit was intended to share with Her Excellency MPEC’s current initiatives and future plans in dealing with unemployment issues in the country.

<br>The opening ceremony of Program Jati Diri (PJD) Cohort 3 was held at Program Khidmat Bakti Negara (PKBN) Training Camp, Batu Apoi, Temburong on 13th May 2023. Present as the Guest of Honour was the Permanent Secretary (Wawasan), Prime Minister’s Office, Yang Mulia Pengiran Hajah Siti Nirmala binti Pengiran Haji Mohammad.<br>
<br>Also present was the Acting Temburong Assistant District Officer, Yang Mulia Awang Haji Mohamad Azmi bin Haji Suhaili; Acting Director of Khidmat Bakti Negara, Yang Mulia Mejar (B) Haji Mohammad bin Dollah; and MISC-WG Lead for Energy, Yang Mulia Haji Mohammad Shahnoel bin Haji Mohammad Noeh.
This marks the beginning of the PJD for 90 trainees which consist of iSkill cohort 3 students under Institute of Brunei Technical Education (IBTE). The 90-days program is part of the iSkill in Marking and Fitting, iSkill in Rigging, iSkill in Scaffolding, and iSkill Industrial Skills Qualification (ISQ) in in Welding under IBTE. The PJD is a collaborative effort between Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) Secretariat, IBTE, and Bahagian Khidmat Bakti Negara (BKBN).<br>
<br>The ceremony began with the national anthem followed by the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and verses of the Al-Quran. Surah Al-Kahfi verses 9 until 16 was read by 1268 Muhammad Isyraf Dinie bin Mohammad Asni, of the 4th Platoon.<br>
<br>The ceremony continued with a welcoming address by the Head of MPEC Secretariat, Yang Mulia Dr. Hajah Siti Haziah binti Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin in her capacity as the chair of the ceremony.<br>
<br>In her speech, she shared that since the introduction of the program, 344 trainees have successfully completed the program from the previous 2 cohorts. She remarked that the program is intended to prepare the trainees to face challenges as well as groom them to be more employable and industry-ready for the job market.<br>
<br>She also highlighted that the program will also feature a Career Day where trainees will be able to interact with various agencies as well as companies from the energy sector which provides them a platform to explore employment opportunities in the respective companies.<br>
Meanwhile, in the Guest of Honour’s address, the Permanent Secretary of Wawasan, Prime Minister’s Office highlighted that the program is an example of an initiative that showcases the close cooperation between the government, education institutions and industries in the private sector, working towards achieving the Wawasan Brunei 2035 goal of producing educated, highly skilled and accomplished people.<br>
<br>She also called on for the support of parents and guardians of the trainees as their support will be the source of motivation and strong will for the trainees to continuously work towards excellence.<br>
<br>During the ceremony, a video screening of the program showcasing the journey of the previous trainees while undergoing the PJD was also shown and then followed by an oath recitation by all PJD cohort 3 trainees.<br>

<br>The first installment of Program Akar Umbi organized by the Manpower Planning and
Employment Council (MPEC) Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office was held on the 16th of
May 2023 at the Auditorium, Information Department extension building, Jalan Lapangan
Terbang Lama.<br>
<br>The programme was attended by the guest of honour, Yang Mulia Pengiran Kamal Ariffin
Bin Pengiran Haji Mohd Yassin, Acting Assistant District Officer in Brunei Muara. Also in
attendance were members of the Legislative Council, Yang Berhormat Awang Amran Bin
Haji Maidin, Yang Berhormat Awang Lawi Bin Haji Lamat, Yang Berhormat Awang Zainol
Bin Haji Mohamed, Yang Berhormat Awang Mohamad Ali Bin Tanjong, and Yang
Berhormat Awang Haji Daud Bin Jihan, as well as the penghulu-penghulu mukim and
ketua-ketua kampong in the Brunei and Muara District.<br>
<br>The programme began with a welcoming speech by the Acting Head of MPEC
Secretariat, Yang Mulia Hajah Noraini binti Haji Mohamad Jamudin.<br>
<br>She shared that the objective of the program is to provide a platform to increase
awareness on the establishment of MPEC Secretariat, as well as its function, roles and
initiatives which are intended to be shared to penghulu-penghulu mukim and ketua-ketua
kampung as grass root leaders.<br>
<br>She also highlighted the focus of the programme on the issues experienced by the locals
especially in employment as well as to foster understanding and relationships with the
grass root leaders in the efforts to assist the locals in getting employed and upskilled.
<br>She also expressed her gratitude to the LegCo members and attendees in their
continuous involvement in working together towards realizing 1
st Goal of Brunei Vision
2035 to ensure that the people of Brunei Darussalam are educated, highly skilled and
accomplished.<br>
<br>During the programme, officers from MPEC Secretariat also gave a talk on the functions,
roles and initiatives of MPEC Secretariat including JobCentre Brunei in providing
opportunities to our locals to becoming more employable and marketable towards landing
a job.<br>
<br>This programme is aimed to be extended to other districts as a dialogue platform to
discuss the issues faced by the people as well as to exchange perspectives and
suggestions/recommendations especially in regards to employment.<br>

<br>MPEC Secretariat participated in the SHENA roadshow at Tutong District on Tuesday, 23rd May 2023 in conjunction with World Day for Safety and Health at Work (WDSHW) 2023.<br>

<br>Our booth was visited by Legislative Council member, Yang Berhormat Awang Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan and Yang Mulia Awang Mohammad Sofian bin Haji Basri, Acting District Officer in Tutong.<br>

<br>Around 200 visitors attended JobCentre Brunei (JCB) Open Day held on the 29th of May 2023 at JobCentre Brunei Building in Kg Beribi.<br>

<br>The open day is held to promote available JCB services and programmes run by MPEC Secretariat to the public especially to our local jobseekers.<br>

<br>The open day featured programmes by MPEC Secretariat such as the i-Ready apprenticeship programme and SkillsPlus programme. Workshops on creating CV and preparedness for job interview we also conducted.<br>

<br>This Open Day also served as platform for jobseekers to interact with MPEC Secretariat and company representatives from Mavensdotlive Sdn Bhd, Aegis Secure Solutions Sdn
Bhd, BR-Vivien Agency, Rhymin & Partners Sdn Bhd dan J-FA Sdn Bhd.<br>

<br>There were also showcase of training and consultancy services by participating companies along with walk-in interviews.<br>

<br>MPEC Secretariat participated in the final roadshow organized by SHENA in conjunction with World Day for Safety and Health at Work (WDSHW) 2023, at Pusat Insani, Belait District, on Tuesday, 6th June 2023.<br>

<br>MPEC Secretariat booth was visited by Yang Mulia Haji Amirol Hafidzin bin Haji Muhammad, Acting District Officer of Belait District and Acting Chairman of the Kuala Belait and Seria Municipal Board as well as by Yang Mulia Haji Mohammad Yassin bin Haji Ahmed, Assistant District Officer of Belait District.<br>

<br>JobCentre Brunei (JCB) continues its efforts in providing platforms for local jobseekers to grab job opportunities through its 1-day Mini Recruitment Drive (MRD) held at JCB, Jalan
Perindustrian Beribi on 14th June 2023.<br>

<br>Over 250 visitors attended the Meet & Greet event to take this chance to interact with company professionals and representatives in the aviation, transportation and logistics
as well as maritime industry specifically from Amarco Sdn Bhd, Belait Shipping Co. (B) Sdn Bhd, Boustead Sdn Bhd, Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd, Globex Global Logistics Sdn Bhd, Go Rush Express, Muara Port Company and Royal Brunei Culinary.<br>

<br>The MRD was also intended to promote available vacancies in the private sectors and
encourage recruitment amongst our locals.
Also showcased were other initiatives under the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) such as i-Ready apprenticeship programme, SkillsPlus programme and
the Manpower Industry Steering Committee (MISC) in Transportation and Logistics.<br>

<br>Representatives from the MPEC Secretariat were invited by the Defence Academy, Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), to deliver a talk titled "Highly Skilled and Accomplished People" to RBAF officers as part of their study week in preparation for their promotional exam.<Br>

<br>During the session, the officers had the opportunity to engage and discuss on real-life issues pertaining to the theme of the talk delivered including the challenges faced in achieving the objective of Wawasan 2035 Goal 1.<br>