Private sector urged to hire K-12 graduates

MANILA, Philippines — Leaders of various business associations in the country have urged the private sector to consider hiring graduates of the senior high school program. 

The Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) yesterday said it is implementing an affirmative hiring initiative for K-12 graduates. 

The program aims to enjoin companies to rethink their hiring policies by opening and defining entry-level position for senior high school graduates. 

It will also involve companies that will commit to training and helping senior high school graduates transition from school to work environment. 

“There really are jobs that do not need a full four-year degree to start with. Just because there’s a surplus of college graduates does not justify discriminating against those who do not have a college degree,” PBEd chairman Ramon del Rosario said. 

“That’s the appeal we’re making – open our minds to the possibility that senior high school graduates do have enough competencies for certain jobs,” he added. 

According to a survey, only one in four companies using employment website JobStreet is willing to hire fresh graduates of the senior high school program this year.

Thousands of senior high school graduates are expected to join the workforce this year.

The survey – conducted as part of JobStreet’s 2018 Fresh Graduate Report and released on Wednesday– showed that only 24 percent of employers are ready to hire the first batch of graduates of the K-12 program, which added two years to basic education in the country.

The survey also revealed that 35 percent of employers on JobStreet are not ready to hire K-12 graduates while 41 percent are still undecided.

The lack of available positions for non-college graduates and the supposed insufficient work experience of K-12 graduates were the primary reasons cited by employers that are not ready to accept senior high school graduates.

Those who were undecided said they are either evaluating the readiness of their companies or are still finalizing the timeline on when they will hire K-12 graduates.

Meanwhile, industries that are ready to hire senior high school graduates include business process outsourcing, manufacturing, professional services, retail and machinery and equipment.

Most of the available jobs are entry-level positions in administrative, customer service, sales and marketing, operations and information technology sectors.

Some employers said they are also willing to pay senior high school graduates salaries above the minimum wage.

The JobStreet survey revealed that companies have limited knowledge about the K-12 program.

It urged the education sector to create a more impactful information and dissemination drive for employment and K-12 graduate skills.