LMIS Station Now in Mandeville to Assist Job Seekers

Job seekers residing in Manchester can now conveniently utilise the services of the Labour Market Information System (LMIS) in their parish.

A satellite station has been established within the offices of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce (MCC), where persons may access the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s job-matching internet-based facility, free of cost.

This is part of a strategic move by the Ministry to enhance the system, and expand its reach to more Jamaicans, particularly in rural areas.

The arrangement was formalised with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last evening (July 9), between the Ministry and the MCC, during a Town Hall Outreach Meeting at the Mandeville Hotel, in Manchester.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Derrick Kellier, said the co-operation with the MCC, which is the first of three private-public partnerships the Ministry intends to embark on to increase awareness of the facility, is a “win-win situation for job seekers, employers and the Government.”

“I am looking at public-private sector partnerships as the way forward; a new paradigm to create growth for individuals, business and, by extension, the economy. We at the Ministry see the LMIS evolving into a National Employment Portal, given its wide range of services, and we are interested in creating greater awareness about the system and encouraging its use,” he said.

The Minister said it is intended to establish nine LMIS satellite stations across the country, including MLSS Parish Offices over the next two years, which he said will all offer “the same holistic employment services as in Kingston.”

He said the stations are to be set up in private sector entities that are frequented by employers and job seekers. These partnerships, he noted, will bridge the unemployment gap and increase employment possibilities for Jamaicans.

Mr. Kellier said the arrangement will serve to build awareness among business owners and customers who would not normally utilise the LMIS.

“Job seekers in rural areas of Jamaica can now be exposed to local employment opportunities which they may not have been aware of and had previous access.  The LMIS, in particular, is targeting young people as they are a significant part of the job-seeking population and, in most instances young people are the ones sought after for opportunities locally and abroad,” he noted.

The Minister encouraged qualified job seekers to register with the LMIS and post their resumes to be available for suitable job opportunities and placements.

“For employers, entrepreneurs and investors, this pool/database is available to fill needs for qualified, certified and responsive workers. Let me encourage members of the Manchester business community and the private sector to take advantage of this inexpensive approach to recruitment,” he said.

President of the MCC, Loven McCook, who signed the MoU along with the Minister, said it signalled the commencement of a relationship between the private and public sector that makes the process of seeking employment and seeking employees much simpler.

“We see this initiative serving the needs of our members, while providing a necessary service to the community,” he said.

He noted that the MCC will make the computer/internet available to job seekers, who can search for jobs available within Manchester.

The internet portal was installed by the Ministry with funding support by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

The session provided information about the Ministry’s various programmes, policies and services. These included the Flexible Working Arrangements; enforcement of the new Disabilities Act; the Occupational Safety and Health Act and its implications for workplace safety and health; and information on the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), regarding registration, contribution and compliance.

The LMIS offers online and offline services to employers and job seekers, including résumé writing, interview preparation, entrepreneur workshops and access to a database of skilled workers.