IKBN youths highly sought after

Monday May 12, 2008
IKBN youths highly sought after


BERA: More than half the youths attending short-term courses at the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN or Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara) get job offers even before they complete their courses, said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

"This shows that courses offered at the institute are relevant to the jobs market," he said at the "IKBN With The Community Day", held in Laman Kerayong, here yesterday.

"The 56% who have jobs waiting for them while still in their last semester, took the automotive, catering and electrical courses."

Ismail Sabri said currently there were 15 such fully-operational institutes in the country and that six others would start operations soon.

He said the courses offered at these institutes normally took between a year and three years to complete.

Ismail Sabri said RM40mil had been set aside to provide loans to the students once they leave to start their own businesses.

"We have now simplified the process of giving out the loans," he said.

So far RM2.5mil has been doled out.