More job fairs for techvoc grads

MANILA, Philippines - The Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) is planning more job fairs for technical-vocational graduates to facilitate their immediate employment.

TESDA director general Joel Villanueva said the agency is expanding the series of job fairs initiated by the government in Metro Manila.

“We will tap our offices in the provinces to organize similar jobs fairs for TESDA Specialistas. The goal is to fill the void from graduation to employment so as not to waste time and opportunity,” Villanueva said.

Last month TESDA, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), local government units, and their partner institutions organized a series of jobs fair that drew thousands of applicants all over Metro Manila.

Villanueva said that out of the 18,207 TESDA graduates who trooped to various venues, 1,441 were hired on the spot either for local or overseas employment, while 10,642 jobseekers were lined up for further interview.

Through Hanapbuhay para sa mga TESDA Specialistas, a Jobs Bridging Program, the government gathered 265 companies and agencies in search of local employees, and another 78 firms looking for workers for deployment overseas.

The events also served as one-stop shops where jobseekers availed of documentation services from the National Statistics Office, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Professional Regulation Commission, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. and Pag-IBIG Fund.

“After completing their tech-voc courses and being assessed and certified, TESDA helps its specialistas connect with the right jobs that will enable them to reach their full potentials and help uplift the condition of their families,” Villanueva said.

“We will continue to step up our efforts in providing relevant and quality training to our labor force. But in between, we will also do our duty in matching skills with the right job, and this is what the jobs bridging program hopes to accomplish,” he added.