“The main ambition of this training is to provide a skillful garment labour force for the local garment industries. Training courses are free of charge for every worker without any prior sewing experiences,” said Ma Kyawe Phyo Phyo Aye, project coordinator at Pyoe Pin on August 18.

Anyone who does not have any experience in garment factory industries aged between 18 and 40 are allowed to join the free sewing operator trainings. Each course will take place over a period of two months.

Trainees having completed the two month course have to work at the garment factories for another four months – with wages – to get work experience. They must also take the skill test of National Skill Standards Authority (NSSA) to receive the skill labour certificate, recognised by other Asian countries.

During the two months course, trainees will have to attend classes five days a week. They will be provided lunch and will be compensated with a daily stipend of K1800.

“We will review the candidates every time we get three applications. We have other training concerning the garment industry beside the sewing course. We will advise applicants to attend the training which best suits their abilities,” said Pyoe Pin’s official Ma Kyawe Phyo Phyo Aye.

According to this project, about 120 workers are set to be trained for each two months course. The project can accommodate 5570 workers to be trained in their 28 months long projects.

The free sewing operator training course has been established through the cooperation of the Ministry of Labour and the Pyoe Pin program as formalised by a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on August 18, with stipends provided by the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Funds (LIFT).

“Many investments are coming into Myanmar. There are many kinds of jobs: garment, constructions, manufacturing, and tourism. Workers will be well-paid according to their skills. We plan to develop skilled labour in the country so we need more training schools like this,” U Win Shein, director general of the Labour Department of the Ministry of Labour, told the media on August 18.

According to the advertising for this traineeship, candidates can apply at the Pin Lon Hall in North Dagon or via phone – 09425847821 – during office hours.
According to several workers and labour rights groups, there are many factories in Yangon which are paying K1800 as daily wages to trainee workers for a three month periods.

Workers who are in a three month probation period have reportedly been paid up to K2700 as daily wages. They further added that most factories give no more than K3600 to skilled workers because many employers do not pay more than the minimum wage.