The Ministry of Labour’s Inspector-General Mr. Vichai Kongrattanachat chaired the commencement of the “Workshop to Development Labour Graduates in the South” which took place at The Regent Beach Resort in Cha-am, Phetchburi. The workshop was schedule from 14 to 16 March 2016, with a total of 380 participants comprising officials from Pattani and Narathiwas, the director of labour graduates and labour graduates from Pattani, Yala, Narathiwas and Songkhla. He explained the crucial roles that labour graduates have in promoting the Ministry of Labour’s work, creating employment, income and professional stability for people in local communities. In addition to this, labour graduates carry out important surveys and collect information at the local level, which helps the ministry’s units to improve operations and create effective action plans, as well as other government units.
Labour graduates are an important communication and service channel which the local people can benefit from. Mr. Vichai emphasized that labour graduates help alleviate tough situations and are a bridge between officers and the people, therefore it is important to improve the services and processes provided by labour graduates to correspond with the people’s needs. Mr. Vichai asked the labour graduates to focus on communicating accurate news and information, as well as take a proactive work approach in fulfilling duties.
Miss Benjamas Pradujpol, a 6-year labour graduate from Songkhla spoke about her experience in the area. She said that she became a labour graduate after having volunteers, thinking it would improve her skills and allow her to help the people in many ways. In addition to this, over time, the communities begin to trust labour graduates and open to them about issues which has made Miss Benjamas very proud or her role. She said that she gets to be the communication channel between the Ministry of Labour and the people, providing better understanding on access to benefits which were unknown to the communities before.
Miss Anya Maseng, a labour graduate from Yala for one year now, said that her role entitles her to teach and share information to the people, as well as provide professional training to allow informal workers to gain better employment and income. Furthermore, she said that labour graduates contribute to improving the communities where feedback from the local people have been positive as labour volunteers have connected the people and the ministry’s affiliated units together.
10-year Narathiwas labour graduate Mr. Pairoj Arong said that the local communities now rely on labour graduates for employment. He said that the graduates are the equivalent of a smaller district office and that the people know that they are there to help. He spoke about the benefits of various projects which unite communities and make it a better place to be. Mr. Pairoj then thanked the Ministry of Labour for great projects over the past decade.
Finally, Patani labour graduate for 10 years Mr. Theewin Yagoh, said he started off by getting to know the local community leaders, introducing them and the communities to various activities. Mr. Theewin is also from the local community therefore he knows how the people live, work and make an income, giving him an advantage to his role. He commended the labour graduate project which facilitate the people in gaining accurate and quick access to information on employment and training. He thanked the ministry for launching the project which has improved the live of the people in the 3 Southern provinces and 4 districts in Songkhla and expressed his hope for sustainable development for the local communities and for peace in the Southern provinces.
#######################
Bureau of Public Relations
