CEBU, Philippines - Over 400 job seekers trooped to the third leg of the “Trabaho Ko, Mahal Ko†job fair held last Saturday at Benedicto College in Mandaue City.
To help address the continuing challenge in the local labor market in terms of unemployment and underemployment, the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Zugbuana hosted the jobs fair, in partnership with Benedicto College and the Mandaue City Government through its Public Employment Services Office.
Haidee Benedicto-Barcelon, founder of the “TrabahoKo, MahalKo†job fair series and past president of JCI Zugbuana, said that the program aims to provide an avenue for employment opportunities that are intended for Cebuano jobseekers especially the fresh graduates.
The job fair offered around 1,100 job vacancies from 43 companies that belong in the services, manufacturing, tourism, hospitality industries, business process outsourcing and retail industries.
Based on the results of the January 2013 Labor Force Survey, there were approximately 37.94 million employed persons or an employment rate of 92.9 percent.
The underemployment rate in January 2013 was estimated at 20.9% of the total employed population, comprising of 7.93 million underemployed persons while the unemployed Filipinos were estimated at 2.8 million or 7.1%.
In the same period of last year, the employment, underemployment and unemployment rates were recorded at 92.8%, 18.8% and 7.2% respectively.
The all-female civic organization started the job fair series in 2005 as part of the community area development of the association when Benedicto-Barcelon served as the president.
Prior to the 2013 job fair program, the organization organized the same event in 2010 in partnership with the Cebu City Government.
This year’s leg of the program was chaired by her fellow JCI Zugbuana, Mae Carmelle Salazar.
Lilian Benedicto-Huan, vice president of Benedicto College, said that the educational institution shares the same thrust with JCI Zugbuana.
As a matter of fact, she added, the college also provides training opportunities through its technical and vocational courses in order to address the skills mismatch in the labor market.
Benedicto College offers short-term courses that are aimed towards specific skills development such as welding, plumbing, housekeeping, food and beverage, commercial cooking, bartending, and automobile among others.
Such courses run for three months with industry professionals employed as the students’ trainers.
“We started offering these technical and vocational courses in 2005 as part of our social responsibility. We are glad that more than a thousand of our graduates who took up such courses are already either hired locally or are working now abroad,†Benedicto-Huan stated.
To date, there are 500 students taking up the short-term courses of the school.
The college also offers two-year associate courses and four-year bachelor courses in information technology, business and accountancy, mass communication, education, hotel and restaurant management.
Benedicto-Barcelon further revealed that the Cebuanos could expect more job fairs organized by JCI Zugbuana in the years ahead as they are planning to do the “Trabaho Ko, Mahal Ko†program every year.
She expressed hope that more organizations will establish partnership with JCI Zugbuana towards pursuing the same thrust for the local community.
JCI Zugbuana is an exclusive all-female chapter that is comprised of Cebu’s young enthusiasts geared towards providing sustainable programs based on four priority areas of opportunity that include individual, business, community and international development. /JOB (FREEMAN)