Jobless rate hits five-year high in Oct.

But Huang said the jobless rate may increase at a slower pace due to the government’s distribution of NT$82.9 billion shopping vouchers to spur domestic consumption and the long-term NT$500 billion economic stimulus program plus the employment promotion efforts.

Responding to the latest job data, officials at the Council of Labor Affairs said the government has earmarked NT$26.6 billion to promote employment for the next four years.

About NT$16.7 billion of the fund will be used to help those capable of taking employment to find the jobs they want and assist others who want to run their own small businesses.

When addressing a ceremony to present awards to budding entrepreneurs and open an exhibition of successful business ventures yesterday, CLA Chairwoman Wang Ju-hsuan said the council and its branch offices have been working on a NT$9.8 billion plan to help 45,000 people take up work before June 2009.

An additional NT$4.05 billion will be used to help 35,000 people find employment.

Meanwhile, the seed fund extended to qualified women to set up their own business operations in terms of easy loans in the “Phoenix Project” was doubled to NT$1 million from NT$500,000 starting in October.

The interest repayment for such micro-loans can be exempted for the first three years for financially underprivileged people, she said.

Gov’t assistance

Wang, who formerly worked as a lawyer and head of the Awakening Foundation to advocate women’s rights and gender equality at workplace, welcomed people looking for jobs or planning to launch business ventures to visit Web site www.be-boss.org.tw or call 0800-092-957 for information, free management courses, and consultation to improve business operations.

Officials handling commerce and small business affairs at the Ministry of Economic Affairs urged those planning to start their own business ventures to tap the resources available at the MOEA’s Web site.

The National Youth Commission held yesterday a meeting of educators from higher learning institutes in northern Taiwan to exchange experiences on helping college students better prepare for their working careers after graduation.

Wang Yu-ting, chairwoman of the commission, said her agency will assist schools to increase courses and training for students, instill the students with correct attitudes toward future careers which are different from their previous part-time jobs.

She said universities can also learn from each other, including the electronic data file for each students, including their majors, minors, and special skills acquired at the school as well as the professional certificates they have already earned.

Such data enable the faculty to locate students in need of special counseling and help them with earlier preparations for new challenges before it is too late, Wang said.

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