30 Sep 2005

Marshalls to boost training in bid to curb youth unemployment

1:35 pm on 30 September 2005

The Marshall Islands government has named a new administrator to run the National Training Council in the face of an unemployment rate of 40 percent.

Marie Maddison is assuming the position after serving as permanent secretary for the ministries of Social Services, Health, Education and Foreign Affairs.

This coincides with the infusion of at least 800,000 US dollars in funding for a broad range of training initiatives, with a focus on targeting youth unemployment.

A report issued by the government earlier this month estimated that youth unemployment is about 80 percent.

Ms Maddison says the Council will be looking beyond traditional trade apprenticeship training programs.

She says this means a focus on keeping young people in school or reengaging "at-risk" youth who have dropped out or been pushed out from local schools and are largely unemployable.