i-Ready: Is it Ready?

Unemployment among graduates in Brunei Darussalam has attracted considerable attention in recent years.

And it’s encouraging to see the Brunei government taking steps to improve the marketability of unemployed graduates in the country.

In 2017, the government took a proactive approach by introducing ‘i-Ready’, a special apprentice scheme that gives both citizens of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Permanent Residents of Brunei Darussalam with little or no working experience the opportunity to be attached to various industries in both the public and private sector.

One of the requirements of being an i-Ready apprentice is that unemployed graduates (degree and above) would first have to register with the JobCentre Brunei System.

What is i-Ready all about?

The 3-year apprenticeship programme’s objective is to expose unemployed graduates to various industries in both the public and private sector.

The host organisation (company) has the option to permanently employ the apprentice at any time.

Throughout the 3-year programme, the apprentice will be monitored by the respective host organisation to ensure their development meets industry needs.

The Brunei Government will provide a monthly allowance of $800 for a maximum period of 3 years.

Has i-Ready reached any milestones?

According to a report, some 1,562 graduate jobseekers have registered with i-Ready, as of March 1, 2018. Out of this number, 1,263 have already gotten job placements. Under this initiative, which began in April 2017, 146 graduates have already secured permanent employment.

In April 2018, seven Brunei graduates were selected to start their career abroad with Deloitte, a leading accounting and consulting firm. It was the first international placement in collaboration with Deloitte Southeast Asia.

The graduates were chosen through a rigorous selection process under the i-Ready programme out of 586 applicants.

Lee Chew Chiat, Consulting Leader of Deloitte Brunei, said: “We support the Brunei Government’s initiatives to enhance the employability of new Brunei graduates and help them be future-ready by strengthening their knowledge in the areas of consultant.

“Hiring Bruneian graduates will help groom the next generation of talent to bring Brunei forward into the future. We recognised that Brunei has a talented pool of graduates, and we look forward to continue our support that will include holding more recruitment drives, and work closely with the Manpower Policy and Planning Unit (MPPU) to identify opportunities for more Bruneians to be part of our Deloitte Southeast Asia consulting team,” he added.

What can be improved?

‘Neue’ (@whatsneue) sought the opinions of the public regarding what improvements could be made to the i-Ready scheme.

Following is a Q&A with an i-Ready apprentice who wished to remain anonymous.

Question: In your own words, could you describe what the overall experience was like to be part of the apprentice scheme?

Answer: It was like working at an actual job … except technically, I wasn’t.

I was lucky in that I had a more-than-okay experience; my colleagues treated me well, I learnt a lot during my time as an i-Ready apprentice and it was an eye-opener in terms of how the real working world was like.

But it felt more like a PEEK INTO IT, rather than a TRUE IMMERSION.

At the back of my mind, I just kept thinking about how, at the end of the day, I was still JUST AN INTERN, with an expiration date of three years. An intern doing the equivalent of a contracted employee’s work, that is. I was expected to keep up with the rest of my colleagues in terms of my workload (but again, they were very helpful), and it served its purpose in giving me the work experience I needed.

And yet, I couldn’t push away the thought that it was kind of unfair to not have some of the same benefits as my co-workers (yes, I’m talking about pay), and there were times when I couldn’t enjoy the same benefits as apprentices in other companies.

I remember being annoyed when I was unable to have the normal amount of Hari Raya holidays, even though I was entitled to them as an i-Ready apprentice. It cemented the thought that while my position was i-Ready apprentice of so and so, in reality, I was Company XYZ’s full-time employee in all but name.

Gratitude aside, while I don’t regret joining the i-Ready programme, I’m also pretty glad that I’m not in it anymore.

Question: Now that you are no longer part of i-Ready and are now working for another company after being offered a full-time contract, do you have any advice to people who are thinking about signing up for the apprenticeship programme?

Answer: Don’t get me wrong, the i-Ready is a good programme. However, it probably wasn’t as well executed as it should be, but don’t let that deter you. Don’t accept the first offer you might receive; I certainly didn’t! Because you could potentially stay in the same position for the next three years. Try your best to look for the kind of work that might help you grow and develop your skills.

Interviewers might expect you to already be familiar with what the position may entail, or they’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. But it’s always best to do a bit of research about what exactly you’re applying for.

But if you’re not ready to do the same amount of workload as your better-paying colleagues, perhaps this programme isn’t for you.

Question: Do you have any words of wisdom for those who are still in the i-Ready programme?

Answer: If you’re currently satisfied with your position, great! If you’re not, it’s okay to leave for greener pastures.

Don’t stop looking for opportunities to work somewhere else, especially if you feel like your current position isn’t going to work out for you.

I started looking after a few months into being an i-Ready apprentice, because while I did learn a lot, as I’d mentioned, I knew ultimately that I would not be learning more in terms of the kind of skills I wanted to hone.

If you’re planning on staying on in the position, don’t be hesitant and ask if the company will have a permanent spot for you after the end of your programme.

Also, if you ever have any concerns, talk to the Manpower Policy and Planning Unit (MPPU), in person, especially if it’s urgent. They’re there to help i-Ready apprentices get the most out of the programme.

‘Neue’ also had a chat with other former i-Ready apprentices, who through their own efforts, have found employment at other companies.

“The i-Ready apprentice programme is not a one-size-fits-all solution,” they said. “For $800, some of us i-Ready apprentices are doing accounting work, while others are working in menial jobs. Do you think this is fair? The same amount of money for different kinds of work?”

“Don’t get us wrong, we are not looking down on people who are involved in menial jobs. The point that we are trying to drive home is that it’s absurd that the allowance is just $800, regardless of what job you have to do at any of the host organisations (companies),” they said.

Observers have expressed their concerns that some companies in the country may be abusing the i-Ready programme for their own financial gain.

Speaking to ‘Neue’ on the condition of anonymity, the sources who are involved in human resource work, said: “Some local companies will not openly admit it but essentially, there has been a ‘hiring freeze’ ever since the i-Ready apprenticeship programme was rolled out.”

When asked to elaborate further on this claim, they said: “Some companies, not all of them, are taking advantage of the fact that they get to have ‘free’ human resource via i-Ready.

“We were made to understand that under the i-Ready programme, host organisations (companies) can offer permanent employment to the apprentices at any time.

“But let’s be honest: it has been more than a year since the i-Ready programme was initiated, how many of the apprentices have been offered full-time employment by their host organisations (companies)?

“We think the number isn’t as high as what we all had hoped for.

“To be honest, things could be better. To all the i-Ready apprentices who have since found jobs at OTHER companies, we couldn’t be happier for them. As for those who are still waiting to attain full-time employment at their respective host organisations (companies), we hope that the upper management would sincerely offer them a better salary with benefits such as medical coverage and yearly bonuses.”

How to apply?

Qualified applicants are welcomed to apply for the i-Ready programme by registering at JobCentre Brunei (@jobcentrebrunei) through its website at www.jobcentrebrunei.gov.bn. Next, applicants will go through a selection process and once shortlisted, they will be interviewed by the organisation and MPPU. For more information, local jobseekers and the public in general may contact JobCentre Brunei at 2444123 or via e-mail at mppu@jpm.gov.bn, or visit the centre.

Let’s have a discussion

What do you think about this? Do you think that the $800 allowance needs to be relooked at? Do you think the i-Ready programme is working? What are your thoughts about the apprentice scheme?

3 Responses

September 21, 2018 CingCongLengLong Reply
I don’t get why all these i-Ready apprentices wanting permanency all the time, I mean seriously aren’t the real mission and vision of the i-Ready is to give fresh graduates experiences in a real working environment and on the job training.
and I heard if the company is bad, their i-Ready is retracted and relocated too, so clearly jobcentre is doing something about this so called advantage taking company, provided you reported them that is.
So technically you get paid for internship and you get to complain to jobcentre if the company isnt doing its job. Back in my days, its called unpaid internship and you cant do anything if they dont develop you. Be thankful sometimes, apa nya orang brunei “jan inda besyukor ani”.
- September 25, 2018 Wen Ling Reply
  I-readys are in for a rude awakening if they think that 800 is very lowly. Not all SMEs can afford to pay their staff the salaries expected by iready and then some. Would be great to actually have a survey of the average pay of people fresh out of uni and see where it compares in relation to the $800 iready receive.
  As the person above said they are getting the apprenticeship which prepares them to the working world which is like an internship but paid and really you want to complain? In my days you would be working as intern for free and have to work sometimes long hours, but would relish the fact that you would be getting invaluable experience. In this current economy they should count their blessings if a company was to take them on, or do they want to sit at home unemployed idle watching netflix, updating their social media and twiddle their thumbs whilst their counterparts are learning what they can gearing up for brighter things in a business environment working towards developing themselves. The government is clearly helping graduates here and I don’t know what other country has done this. We don’t even have to pay tax!
  Word of advice for iready – check with current prospective employee terms and ask them questions- but manage your expectations . And speak up, If you don’t like the job, tell your supervisor, suck it up or move on and hope there’s another job out there waiting for you. the grass isn’t always greener
September 28, 2018 Frustrated Graduate Reply
I dont know but i have got friends who are working with the government who does not have any work experience and are directly hired because of their degree and getting paid a degree holder job which is far far more higher than an i ready pay. So how would an i ready employee feel , i think this is what they are emphasising on. I think job opportunity really depends on luck not mere experience as people can also learn while they do their job. People has got bills to pay , car , fuel, and those with kids have to support their families . How can they survive 3 years on just $733? After reduction of TAP. I hope relevant authorities can consider my thought.