SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, (PNA) -– LABOR SECRETARY ROSALINDA BALDOZ HAS BEEN INVITED AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER DURING THE FIRST–EVER REGIONAL CAREER ADVOCACY CONGRESS IN THE ILOCOS REGION SLATED SEPT 18-19 AT THE LEISURE COAST RESORT IN DAGUPAN CITY IN PANGASINAN.
DIRECTOR GRACE URSUA OF THE DEPT. OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SAID SOME 200 GUIDANCE COUNSELORS FROM SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE ATTENDING THE TWO-DAY CONGRESS ORGANIZED BY HER OFFICE IN COOPERATION WITH THE REGIONAL NETWORK OF GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND CAREER COACHES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, INDUSTRY PLAYERS, TRADE UNIONS AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS.
“WE ARE COMING UP WITH THIS TWO-DAY CAREER GUIDANCE CONFERENCE TO TAP COUNSELORS IN MAINSTREAMING CAREER GUIDANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS AS A STRATEGY TO HELP STUDENTS IN MAKING THE RIGHT CAREER CHOICES,” SHE SAID.
ANCHORED ON THE THEME: “LOG-IN INTO A CAREER: LIKE AND UPLOAD THE FUTURE,” URSUA NOTED THAT THE EVENT TAKES OFF FROM THE RESULTS OF PROJECT JOBS FIT: DOLE 2020 VISION, A RESEARCH PROJECT INITIATED BY DOLE IN 2009 TO ADDRESS THE PERENNIAL PROBLEM OF JOB-SKILL MISMATCH, WHICH IS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF UNEMPLOYMENT OR UNDEREMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY.
THE STUDY DEALS WITH THE REGION’S KEY EMPLOYMENT GENERATORS AND EMERGING INDUSTRIES WITH CORRESPONDING SKILLS REQUIREMENTS, IN-DEMAND AND HARD-TO-FILL OCCUPATIONS, GAPS AND CHALLENGES IN MEETING SKILLS NEEDED IN IDENTIFIED KEY EMPLOYMENT GENERATORS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO SOLVE OR ADDRESS IDENTIFIED GAPS AND CHALLENGES TO EMPLOYMENT CREATION AND FACILITATION.
“WHAT REMAINS TO BE DONE IS TO ENSURE THAT THE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT JOB FIT SERVE THEIR PURPOSE – THAT POLICY AND DECISION MAKERS AND PROGRAM DEVELOPERS USE THEM AS BASIS FOR THEIR WORK,” URSUA SAID.
“ESSENTIALLY, THE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS WILL BE INFORMED OF THE HOTTEST JOBS OR CAREER PATHS AND THE MOST APPROPRIATE COURSES THAT SHOULD BE PURSUED BY STUDENTS AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, INCLUDING THE OVERSUBSCRIBED COURSES THAT SHOULD BE PUT BEHIND THEIR PRIORITIES,” SHE ADDED.
ACCORDING TO URSUA, THE CHALLENGES IN THE PHILIPPINE LABOR MARKET CAN BE BETTER ADDRESSED THROUGH COLLABORATIVE AND SYSTEMATIC EFFORTS FROM ALL CONCERNED SECTORS.
“CAREER GUIDANCE IS A VERY USEFUL STRATEGY IN CHANGING AND SHAPING THE MINDSET OF THE YOUTH FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AND IN DEVELOPING 21ST CENTURY WORKERS WHO CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE PRESENT REGIME’S GOAL OF INCLUSIVE GROWTH,” SHE STRESSED.
URSUA SAID THE PRESIDENT’S LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT AGENDA “PUTS INVESTING IN HUMAN RESOURCE AS ITS OVERARCHING GOAL”.