5 September, 2009 - Parental objections and aspirations for government jobs have created a setback in the government’s plan to create a skilled labour force for the upcoming IT centre in Thimphu.

In June this year, the government selected a hundred graduates to undergo a month-long training at an Infosys facility in Mysore, India. It was provided free of cost as a gesture of goodwill by the company’s co-founder, Narayan Murthy.

The hope was that the graduates would start taking IT jobs abroad, after completing their training and return once the IT park in Thimphu is completed, bringing with them experience and expertise. With the training completed, the two IT companies offered 37 of the 100 graduates jobs at its facilities. Only nine, so far, have accepted.

At a meeting with the graduates in Thimphu yesterday, government officials encouraged the selected graduates to take up the job offers.

Communications minister, Lyonpo Nandalal Rai spent nearly an hour congratulating and encouraging the selected graduates to, “not waste such an opportunity.”

But most of the selected graduates say their parents will not let them return. Pem Tshering, offered a job with Genpact, said his parents did not want him to leave the country, so that he could instead take the RCSC (royal civil service commission) examinations.

Similarly, Yangchen Zangmo, who could be working with an Infosys team helping develop the Yahoo search engine database, said her parents were worried about letting her work abroad as she had lived in Bhutan all her life.

Communications secretary, Dasho Kinley Dorji, told the selected graduates that, although it was “nice” to work at home, it could also be “nice” to be working abroad.

Information technology department director, Tenzin Chhoeda, also pointed out to the graduates that government jobs did not necessarily mean prosperity. He pointed out that, despite working in the government for nearly 28 years, he was still not rich. It was usually through corruption, which was being increasingly detected, that someone could get rich with a government job, he added. DIT executive director, C K Veeresh, added that the private sector was the emerging source of wealth if the graduates wanted to get rich.

But other selected graduates like Sangay Lhendup, offered a job with Genpact, said the pay did not discourage him. Instead, the job offered to him by the company as an IT help desk personnel did not suit his training and did not appeal to him. But he also pointed out that the final decision on whether he takes the job rested with his father.

Insufficient finances provided by the government and apprehension about living abroad were other reasons offered. For instance, most graduates agreed with Pem Tshering that the living standard in Mysore and other IT centres in India was “very high”. The government stipend of Nu 13,400 and Nu 18,600 for two months, depending on which training they take, was insufficient, they said. Personal safety concerns were also expressed.

Lyonpo Nandalal Rai told Kuensel that any kind of additional incentive would not go to the graduates directly, instead they would be handed over to their parents or other legal guardians.

The minister said a meeting would be organised with the parents of the selected graduates, where the government would explain and resolve their concerns. The minister will also be talking to the two companies to ensure personal safety of the graduates.

Graduates Dorji Lham and Norbu Yangden have decided to work for Infosys. Unemployed, since they graduated last year, Dorji and Norbu both expressed optimism and desires to join the IT industry. “I didn’t want a 9 to 5 government job where there’s hardly any work,” said Dorji Lham. “It’s going to be an exciting and new learning experience,” said Norbu Yangden. “The job environment down there is based on equality and so it’s less awkward,” she added.

“It’s thinking out of the box,” said Karma Dorji, who leaves this Sunday to work for Genpact. “I like the work culture down there,” he said, “but I’m worried about paying the house rent.”

Government officials are also worried that such job refusals will deter foreign companies from taking Bhutan seriously and investing here.

In the next three years the government plans to send 2,350 graduates to train and work in IT companies in India as part of building a Bhutanese IT workforce.

Assetz, an Indian-based IT park developer, signed an agreement with the government yesterday to build the IT park.