BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 20 JUNE 2025: When Brunei unveiled Vision 2035, it promised a future of prosperity powered by a highly educated, skilled, and resilient workforce.
Today, that vision is being quietly tested by a series of grim realities. Despite significant investments in education and manpower planning, underemployment, job mismatch, and mass retrenchment in the oil and gas sector have emerged as national concerns.
"They called it a golden handshake, but to many of us, it felt more like a gentle shove," said one former BSP engineer, recently retrenched after nearly two decades in the industry.
He is one of over 200 employees who accepted early retirement packages at Brunei Shell Petroleum in 2024 as part of strategic cost-cutting efforts. What happens when a country built on hydrocarbons starts shedding the very people who helped sustain its economy?
In theory, the Manpower Blueprint 2020 and Vision 2035 should have cushioned the blow. These policies called for continuous learning, upskilling, and strategic manpower transition.
But on the ground, many affected workers say there is little more than silence. Some have turned to delivery gigs. Others are searching LinkedIn for overseas jobs. A few have simply given up.
At the heart of this unfolding crisis is a recurring theme: Brunei's human capital is undervalued.
"Our manpower policies look good on paper. But there is no bridge connecting planning to practice," said a private HR consultant who helps retrenched workers.
JobCentre Brunei and i-Ready programs were created to absorb local talent, but many applicants report little progress, outdated databases, or placement in mismatched roles. Critics argue that the system does not reflect real-time labour market needs.
Meanwhile, education remains misaligned with economic priorities. A significant number of graduates hold business or ICT degrees - sectors that offer limited local jobs.
TVET and blue-collar tracks are still viewed as second-class paths, despite the demand for skilled tradespeople. Even the private sector, which the government hopes will be the primary employer of the future, remains dominated by foreign hires.
This isn't always due to preference but to readiness. "Employers are unsure if our locals are trained for immediate deployment," said one manager.
What results is a paradox: qualified Bruneians without jobs, and jobs without Bruneians.
Now, with oil and gas jobs shrinking, the time for reform is critical. And yet, no formal strategy for transitioning retrenched O&G workers into renewables, logistics, or manufacturing has been made public.
It is this void that stirs public frustration. Citizens see investment in mega-projects, but little focus is on the people meant to benefit from them. Without real absorption, training, or support, Brunei risks becoming a place where talent is either exported or wasted.
The Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC) was set up to align talent with market needs, but much of its work remains behind closed doors, with few measurable outcomes visible to the public.
There is a growing call for transparency and a public audit of how the Blueprint has fared. "Brunei’s employment crisis is a structural failure in our economic planning…
But what if just 10–15 per cent of the national budget was used for job-creating initiatives?" asked one LinkedIn commentator.
Official unemployment stands at 4.8 per cent in late 2024, down slightly from 5.2 per cent the year before. But this fails to capture the broader crisis of underemployment.
Many degree holders are working in part-time retail or gig jobs, far below their qualifications. This is not just an economic issue - it is a national dignity issue.
Other countries in the region have moved more decisively. Singapore, for instance, created the "SkillsFuture" initiative to offer every citizen credits for lifelong training and upskilling.
Malaysia's "PenjanaKerjaya" program includes wage subsidies for companies that hire retrenched locals. Even Vietnam has streamlined technical education to match booming sectors like electronics and logistics.
Brunei could adapt these models to its context, but with a clear commitment to transparency and local participation.
The success of a national vision lies not only in GDP or project completions but in whether the people themselves are thriving. Underlying all this is a broader question: Does Brunei truly treat its people as national assets?
Because a nation that fails to invest in its people, not just in education, but in continuous development, job transitions, and mental well-being, is a nation preparing for obsolescence.
Vision 2035 remains a noble goal. But goals require guardians. And at this critical juncture, Brunei must decide whether to protect its vision with actions or watch it falter through inaction.
For the hundreds already retrenched, the answer may come too late. But for the next generation, the window is still open - if we act now. (MHO/06/2025)
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