May 2013 Reg’l Career Congress to address jobs mismatch

TAGUM CITY, Feb 15 (PIA)-The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) hopes to address the job mismatch problem in the Philippines through the conduct of the Regional Career Congress in Davao City on May 31, 2013.

“We are inviting guidance counselors to join us during the Career Congress because they are in the best position to help us correct the job mismatch,” DOLE XI Senior Labor and Employment Officer Lariele P. Arce said.

Arce said they are expecting up to 250 participants from Southern Mindanao, mostly secondary public guidance counselors and all officers of the Public Employment Service Office Program of the government in all municipalities in the region.

The guidance counselors can help advise the students when it comes to careers that will be in demand not just today but in the years to come, she said. When the counselors are knowledgeable about job demands here and abroad, she added, then they will be more able to provide a logical and practical advice to the students who are still undecided on which courses to take in College.

She said the Congress will be a very good venue for the participants to discuss issues on hard-to-find jobs in the industries. We will also have speakers who will discuss the emerging industries including renewable energy, diversified farming, agribusiness and cyber services, she added.

“The guidance counselors will also get firsthand information on the prevailing situation on labor supply and demand and the existing jobs and skill mismatch problem,” she said.  The counselors are instrumental in helping us get these messages to the students, she added.

President Benigno Aquino III earlier said DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz confirmed that the jobs available in the market do not match the skills possessed by the country’s labor force. From now on, he said, “we will make sure that the generated skills match with the work requirements.”

Instead of the “bahala na system”, he said, we now want to look at certain job prospects for the next two to three years and advice our students about that.(lovely a. carillo)