Minister for Employment Parveen Bala has launched the Students Employment Exposure Program in Lautoka for students in the Western Division.

About 150 Year 11 students from the West are part of the program, which aims to ease the transition of students from school into the workforce, based on their subject combinations, skills set, potential and line of interests.

Bala says the whole practical exercise is an early intervention for students to experience “work‑readiness” and to help students nurture their employability skills need in any work environment.

Thirty schools from Sigatoka, Nadi, Lautoka, Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki have been noted for the program, which began in Suva for the Central Division students last year.

These 30 schools will select five Year 11 students to go through a two week work‑exposure program with potential employers in the Western division during the school term holidays this year.

The program will soon be launched in the Northern Division for students in Vanua Levu.