Social Assistance & Employment Programmes

The Role of the National Employment Bureau

The National Employment Bureau is a department of the Ministry of Labour and Civil Service. It is located on the 2nd Floor, Old NIS Building, Fairchild Street, Bridgetown (Tel. No. 426-1436).

The Bureau provides a variety of services to Job Seekers and Employers including the registration of persons for both local and overseas placements. Some details of the services offered are listed below:

Services to Job Seekers

1.  Provides aptitude tests

2.  Provides information about jobs

3. Counselling of workers at any level

4. Provides advice on training and training opportunities

5. Refers job seekers to relevant offers

6. Provides follow-up counselling after placement

7. Provide assistance with preparation of curriculum vitae and interviewing techniques.

Services to Employers

The National Employment Bureau can save employers time and effort by screening referring qualified applicants for job openings. Services to employers include:

1. Advice in drafting of job advertisements

2. Advertising of job openings

3. Recruiting, screening and referral of qualified applicants

4. Assessing a Job Seekers’s skill through Proficiency and Aptitude Testing

5. Maintaining a register of skilled persons

6. Visiting employers workplace on follow-ups and counselling services

7. Providing facilities for conducting interviews

8. Assisting with Training

9. Providing Labour Market Information

10. Referral of employers to other Employment Agencies.

Special Services are provided for:

• Ex-Offenders

• Disabled

• Young Persons

• Returnees - Married Women

• Served Workers - Their Redundancies.

Overseas programmes

The Bureau’s overseas programme with U.S.A and Canada offers opportunities in the following areas:

U.S.A

1. Referrals to Passenger Cruise Line Companies; Cooks, Waiters, Barmen, Stewards, Assistant Cooks

2. Farm Labour; Harvesting of Sugar Cane in Florida.  

Canada

1. Referrals to agencies for Baby-sitters, Housekeepers, Domestics

2. Farm Labour; Fruits, Vegetables, Tobacco preparation, cultivation and harvesting Horse Racing; Referrals for Exercise Lads and Grooms.

To Register for Employment Applicants must have:

1. Proof of identity

2. Copies of Certificates and other Qualifications

3. Testimonial

4. Two (2) Passport size Photographs

5. At least two (2) Personal Referees

6. A recent Police Certificate of Character.

In addition Job Seekers are required to discuss their job preferences and goals with Career Guidance Officers.

Brief facts on the Bureau

1. Over 1500 employees registered
2. Over 200 employers registered
3. Provides proficiency and aptitude test
4. Uses a coding system that facilitates quick reference
5. Provide both local and overseas placements
6. Visits schools and various groups providing employment information and preparing new employees.

Persons seeking employment, career guidance or thinking of career changes are invited to use the services of the Bureau - which are free of costs. Employers should also take the opportunity to register vacancies and have the Bureau provide them with suitable candidates.