Business owners to provide part-time jobs for university students in Arakan State

13 Jan 2023

DMG Newsroom
13 January 2023, Thandwe

Businessmen are planning to provide part-time jobs to university and college students in Arakan State, taking their cue from a local businessman in Thandwe who provides employment opportunities for students of the Government Technical Institute (GTI) in the town.

Business owner U Thein Shwe from Thandwe arranges part-time jobs for GTI students during their holidays so that they can have an income and learn to make good use of their time.

Under the aegis of the Science and Technology Ministry, businessmen are also planning to arrange part-time jobs for university and college students elsewhere in Arakan State, said U Thein Shwe.

“We will arrange jobs for GTI and other university students. Distance learners usually have jobs as they only attend classes one month in a year. We are working to provide jobs that suit their specialisations. As there are large numbers of students, they will have to work alternately,” he said.

There are universities and colleges in Sittwe, Kyaukphyu, Taungup and Thandwe, and business owners plan to travel to those towns next week, exploring possibilities for part-time jobs for students.

Jobs will be offered in electrical engineering, and at filling stations, restaurants and construction sites, said U Thein Shwe.

University student Ko Tun Tun from Taungup said he is happy that he can get job experience before he graduates.

“I want to work as an accountant at groceries and filling stations on holidays so that I can gain experience. It is good news that part-time jobs will be offered for university students in Arakan State,” he said.

Like the general public, university students in Arakan State are suffering from increases in the cost of living amid post-coup political turmoil in Myanmar.

“We are very happy that we will get part-time jobs,” said Ma Khin Sandar Aye, a day student at Sittwe University. “Most of the students are having a hard time now, and we are glad that we can have part-time jobs.”

Officials of the Science and Technology University, relevant departments and business owners met on Friday in Thandwe and discussed plans to provide part-time jobs for higher education students.

Some 100 GTI students are working part-time jobs in businesses owned by U Thein Shwe in Thandwe, earning a wage of K6,000 to K8,000 per day, according to the students.

U Thein Shwe started his plan to arrange part-time jobs for GTI students in 2019, but he had to postpone when his businesses were hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and could only resume the plan in October, last year.