Visit job fairs, DOLE tells graduating students

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is advising graduating students and other jobseekers to visit various job fair so they could easily find employment.

“At the onset of summer and as graduation time draws near, my advice once again to jobseekers and graduating students is to be ready to visit and participate in the DOLE’s job fairs,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.

Baldoz noted that DOLE is set to hold this month 107 job fairs nationwide in a bid to provide immediate employment for new graduates and other jobseekers.

“By visiting the DOLE’s job fairs,  new graduates and jobseekers will spend less money and minimal effort to find a job since the DOLE already gathers both local and overseas employers all in one venue,” Baldoz explained.

The labor chief said they expect 10 to 15 percent of the applicants in the job fair to be hired on the spot.

Available jobs in the job fairs are mostly in the following industries: agribusiness, construction, IT/ Business Process Management, health and wellness, hotel, restaurant and tourism, wholesale and retail trade, banking and finance, mining, transport and logistics, manufacturing, real estate, power and utilities, and education, Baldoz said.

Baldoz also urged workers and students to pursue skills training and get certification from the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) so they CAN command higher pay.

According to Baldoz, more women workers are now opting to become TESDA-certified.

“TESDA’s  assessment and certification results for 2013 show that of the 901,682 candidates certified by the agency, 50.6 percent, or 456,582, were female, surpassing by 11,482, or two percent, the certified males at 445,100,” Baldoz said.

Baldoz attributed the increasing number of certified female workers to DOLE’s gender advocacy as well as efforts to promote competitiveness  and employability.

In 2013, Baldoz said, the biggest number of women certified for skills competence were in the health, social, and community development services sector, with 197,365 workers certified.

Women certified by the TESDA also outnumbered the men in health, social, and community development services sector; tourism; and garments; while men outnumber the women in automotive, construction, refrigeration and air-conditioning.