Botswana government introduces a website to monitor unemployment

Government has developed a Botswana Labour Market Observatory job seekers database providing another avenue for Batswana to explore and apply for jobs.

  Launching the database during the live BTV COVID-19 updates on Tuesday, Human Resources Development Council (HRDC) chief executive officer, Dr Raphael Dingalo said it complemented existing private-sector efforts.

 Dr Dingalo said the database,  developed by HRDC in collaboration with Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) and  Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, would give employers access to a larger pool of candidates.

“This is a platform that understands, monitors and reports on labour market patterns and trends, which are ever-changing owing to the reforms in the demographics, technological advances in occupations, skills required and training demands,” he said.

Initially, DPSM managed the undergraduate registration database, whilst the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development was responsible for registering all job seekers, which was done manually.

Through the new database, Dr Dingalo said, “we are now going to explore job opportunities easily, and you are going to receive short messages and email alerts about the latest job opportunities, you are also going to create and upload your resumes or curriculum vitae which can be searched by employers and then you can directly apply for jobs with prospective employers.” 

The employers will have access to the job seekers database where they will view profiles of job seekers, as well as interact with them”.

Dr Dingalo said international investors and organisations interested in employing Batswana would also have access to the database which was accessible 24/7.  

To facilitate the employment exchange services, Dr Dingalo encouraged employers and job seekers to first register at www.botswanalmo.org.bw. 

DPSM director, Ms Naledi Mosalakatane explained that graduates who had previously registered through DPSM’s undergraduate database  were automatically enrolled on the new one. 

She however encouraged them to keep updating their details. 

Ms Mosalakane also urged ministries and independent departments to utilise the new database.

The DPSM director said given the current surge in local COVID-19 transmission and the need to observe all health protocols, Botswana had to be catapulted into digitisation by leveraging on information and communication technologies.

She said as the public service transformed, more and more human resource functions would be devolved to ministries, departments and agencies leaving DPSM to play a new role of regulator, strategic partner and consultant.

For his part, the Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development acting permanent secretary, Mr Claude Mojafi said the new database would reduce congestion in labour offices and help prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

The ministry’s Employment Bureau would continue to administer the job seekers’ mandate for the entire economy, he said.  dailynews