40351 Youth received training during five-year period

The Secretariate of State for Professional Training and Employment (SEFOPE) has successfully trained 40351 youth throughout the country over the last five years of its mandate 2007-2012.

“In five years SEFOPE successfully achieved its target in training youth, building their capacity and readying them for the job market, as well as creating jobs in rural areas in basic infrastructure,” said the Secretary of State (SE) Bendito Freitas, at the launch of a SEFOPE book highlighting its activities in the last five years, at the Dili Convention Centre (31/7).

The SE said many youth had successfully found employment in government institutions, the private sector with some even finding jobs in South Korea and Australia.
The aim of launching the book was to reflect on the progress SEFOPE achieved in the previous five years working in the community, especially in the area of employment, professional training, as well as SEFOPE’s budget execution.

SEFOPE also established the Labour Force Development Institute, which accredits training centres to ensure they provide quality training for the youth. 

Representing the Prime Minster, Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality (SEPI) Idelta Maria Rodrigues asked SEFOPE and its partners to continue building the capacity of youth so they can become competitive some day in the international labour market.

“It is not enough sending these youth out to work abroad, we need to continue building the capacity of our young people because they are an important factor in the development of our nation,” said SE Rodrigues.

The launching of the book and website are seen by her as critical for people to learn about the progress achieved and the obstacles SEFOPE faced in the last five years.