Aquaculture Employment and Economic Diversification

Abstract

Facing the question of economic diversification for income and employment enhancement, the answer to the question of whether incorporation of modern digital technology and sectoral training facilities may replace imported labour for local youth, the study taking up the case study of the aquaculture sector in fisheries industry. Aquaculture is of high importance in Brunei because of its pristine tropical water and good current flows. The study is focused on the manpower training and development facilities as an effort to give ways to the local youth for employment in the sector which is dominated by imported labour at present. Primary data has been collected from 154 respondents through Google survey forms which has been analysed using SPSS and have applied descriptive analysis, Kruskal Wallis test, Cronbach Alpha, Spearman Correlation, ANOVA, logistic regression and multiple linear regression related econometric analysis. Findings show that education, manpower training and development, through the increase in work productivity, is vital in the aquaculture sector and is a valid option for employment for local youth. The interesting results demonstrate that e-training and instructor-led classroom training are significant when tested for whether and what form of training is needed, for interest to join the training program and for willingness to accept an internship employment while on-site and audio video training are not significant. Familiarity with the fishing industry and age has not changed the results while education has come up as significant for all except for the need of and forms of trainings' choice. In short, application of digital technology may have the potential to enhance the employment attractiveness for educated youth because of the efforts of diversification of job space and activities by the sector.