Unemployed Graduates Database Initial Handover Workshop Held

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) and the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) held a workshop on the 20th January, 2017 to induct HRDC Staff Members on the structure, content and operation of the Unemployed Graduate Database (UGD).

This was a follow - up of an approval by Government of a Cabinet Information Note of November 2015 which directed that the UGD must be transferred to HRDC as part of the ongoing restructuring of DPSM.

The transfer of the UGD was coordinated by HRDC’s Department of Statistics, Research, Development and Innovation (DSRDI). The objective of the workshop was to share experiences on how the UGD has been operating and discuss transition measures. 12 officers from HRDC attended this workshop.

Giving the welcome remarks, DPSM Director, Mrs Ruth Maphorisa expressed her sincere gratitude in handing the UGD over to HRDC. Mrs Maphorisa emphasised that Government had resolved that the database would be rightly placed at HRDC in view of its mandate of developing the Country’s human capital. She openly shared the challenges that DPSM encountered while managing the UGD and when placing the unemployed graduates for employment within the Public Service.

The Chief Executive Officer of HRDC, Dr Raphael Dingalo thanked Mrs. Maphorisa and Botswana Government for resolving to transfer the UGD to HRDC. Dr Dingalo emphasised that HRDC’s primary role is to ensure that all pertinent Human Resource Development (HRD) policies, strategies, programmes and projects are harmonised to support Botswana’s social and economic priorities as outlined in the national development plans. “This is the reason why we hold the same sentiments with Government in transferring the UGD to HRDC since it falls within the Council’s portfolio.” Said Dr Dingalo. 

In addition, Dr Dingalo stated that the transfer of the UGD is in line with HRDC’s mandate, part of which entails establishment of a fully functional education, training and labour market database including the management of the Labour Market Observatory (LMO) of which the unemployed graduates’ database will become a subset.

He concluded by indicating that the transfer of the UGD will thus, allow for the establishment of a more comprehensive database which will also serve as a basis for sectoral human resource plans.