News

GIS – 07 August 2025: The Employment Division of the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations organised a one-day Job and Training Fair at the Victoria Urban Terminal in Port Louis, today. This initiative follows the success of a similar exercise held in Grand Bay earlier this year. The objective is to bridge the gap between jobseekers and employers while responding to the evolving demands of the labour market.

The event brought together a broad spectrum of employers and training institutions in an accessible setting, offering jobseekers the opportunity to meet potential employers and to explore training options. The Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations, Mr Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem; the Minister of Industry, SME and Cooperatives, Mr Sayed Muhammad Aadil Ameer Meea; several Members of Parliament and other personalities were present.

Speaking to the press, Mr Uteem explained that the philosophy of the Ministry is to encourage direct engagement between people looking for jobs and companies seeking to recruit. “While there are existing platforms for this purpose,” he underlined, “the added value of a job fair is that individuals can walk in, connect with recruiters, and potentially be hired on the spot in an informal atmosphere.” The Minister added that more such fairs would take place across the country to bring together unemployed individuals and enterprises.

According to Mr Uteem, the world of work has changed, and people no longer stay in the same job at the same company until retirement. He acknowledged that some sectors struggle to find workers, while others face recruitment issues due to inconvenient working hours. He was of the view that expectations have evolved, and companies need to adapt to the mindset of the new generation.

As per statistics around 35,000 individuals are currently registered at the Employment Office, with approximately 20,000 of them already employed but still looking for better opportunities. “This,” he indicated, “highlights the need to create jobs that align with the aspirations of the younger workforce, who seek a balance between work, family life, and leisure.”

Regarding the issue of skill mismatch, Mr Uteem stated that the job fair included the participation of various training institutions offering courses tailored to emerging needs given that many jobseekers hold qualifications that do not match current market demands. He underlined the necessity to encourage women to re-enter the workforce and support businesses in recruiting young talent.

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