BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration (MCILI) is currently reviewing the National Employment Policy (NEP) 2023-2027 and the apprenticeship policy.

MICILI Permanent Secretary, (PS) Riley Mesepitu speaking at the National Trade Fair in Honiara, said the NEP looks at how best they can create more employment for the country.

He said that there are no job opportunities because there are no industries established in the country.

“We always complain about no job opportunities in this country, but we have huge potential,” he said Mesepitu.

He added that in regards to questions like “What can we do?”, the ministry cannot answer alone but as a country, we are answerable to that question.

The ministry is also reviewing the apprenticeship and traineeship policy.

Mesepitu said this is an important policy that will help address the issue of school dropouts in the country and unemployment.

“We have just reviewed our traineeship programmes with Solomon Islands National University (SINU) under this apprenticeship and traineeship policy.

“We opened a programme at SINU last year. This is very important for our young people. It was developed many years ago but stopped due to not realignment with some SINU programmes,” he said.

Mesepitu explained that after the partnership was reviewed in 2024, the ministry is now collaborating with SINU in areas of carpentry and joinery, plumbing, electrical and automotive, marine engineering, refrigeration and air conditioning.

He said through the partnership, SINU has enrolled 100 students in 2024 and 185 students this year, 2025, now totaling up to 185 students.

“Another 120 students are earmarked for next year, 2026, under the programme. Scholarship will be available. Fully funded scholarship. This is targeting forms 3, 5, 6 and form 7 dropouts,” said PS Mesepitu.

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