52 Companies Now JobStart Partners For More Employment for the Youth and Shorter Job Search — Baldoz

After pilot-testing it in 2014 in San Fernando, Pampanga; Gen. Trias, Cavite; Taguig City; and Quezon City, where 430 participants have been placed in technical and on-the-job training and with additional 926 vacancies still to be filled up, the DOLE-ADB-Canada collaborative project to address youth unemployment, JobStart Philippines Program, is now being rolled out in several provinces and cities, with 52 employers as partners.

“More employers are joining JobStart Philippines and we are very happy for it. That means they believe the program is really beneficial even to them and not only to the job seekers,” Baldoz said after the successful launching of JobStart in Bilar, Bohol, the first province where JobStart will be fully implemented.

Apart from Bohol, JobStart Program will be implemented this year in Cebu, Davao, Tagum, and Palawan, plus in five Public Employment Services Office in the National Capital Region, with a target of 3,200 beneficiaries. The DOLE will continue to implement it in the four pilot areas.

“JobStart partners with employers in providing a comprehensive and systematic approach in assisting young jobseekers, from planning their career paths all the way through acquiring the best-fit jobs,” said Baldoz.

JobStart calls for employers to be selected through the signing of a memorandum of agreement. They, in turn, prepare a training plan and select from the JobStart youth participants and provide them with technical training and work experience. They receive the full cost of the technical training from the Bureau of Local Employment, the project management office. Youth participants are also paid an allowance to cover the employers’ administrative cost. In turn, employers pay the trainees an amount of at least 75 percent of the prevailing minimum wage in their region.

Baldoz lauded the following companies for signing MOAs with JobStart: MKP Inc.; Carats Manufacturing; iGo2 Group Inc.; Tele Sight; Site Skills; Telford Svc. Phils, Inc.; CS Garments, Inc.; LA Bakeshop; LA Bakeshop and Grocery; Romac Group of Companies; Sankou Seiki Co. Ltd., Inc.; CGS Solid Aircon & Refrigeration, Inc.; IMES Global Inc.; P.IMES Corp.; Proserve Manpower, Inc.; GB Exprez; Aquino Basket; JobCrest Management, Inc.; Image Doctor’s Clinic; Happy Haus Food Corp.;

Interlink Manpower Development & General Services, Inc.; Purple Avatar Inc.; MB Garbez; PC Storage; Premium Burger and Foods; Savemore; Shimadzu Philippines Corporation; Fresh and Famous; Virtus Manpower Services; Serbiz Multipurpose Cooperative; Comark International Corporation; Lyric Piano and Organ Corp.; Innovatia Systems; SSECC; Datacom; Pampanga’s Best; MLJL 368 Trading Inc.; TC-TESDA Women’s Center;

TKC Steel Corporation; Elixir Industrial Equipment, Inc.; Singangag Express; Enriquez Security Services, Inc.; Toyota Commonwealth; Interlink Manpower Development & General Services, Inc.; Grandis Jubilance Ventures, Inc.; Quali-Serve Manpower And General Services; Pacific Global Hospitality Institute; Jenra Incorporated; Sky Cable; Interlink Manpower Development & General Services, Inc.; and SFI Group of Companies.

JobStart is a career coaching and training program intended to help young people jumpstart their careers by creating opportunities to improve their technical skills and develop the life skills necessary for success in today’s competitive workplace.

JobStart starts with the provision of career guidance through skills assessment, career and self-awareness, and career coaching. Following the assessment of a participant’s job readiness, he or she is provided with an eight-day life skills training designed to holistically hone the attitude and behavioural skills of the youth into a person well-prepared to face the challenges of the world of work.

“The completion of career guidance and life skills training enables the youth to be matched in jobs available in partner-employers for the technical training of up to three months, and an application of what has been acquired and learned through internship program for also up to three months,” Baldoz said.

For more details about JobStart, contact the Project Management Office at the Bureau of Local Employment, 6th Floor, BF Condominium, Solana for. Andres Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila; tel. 527-2543 or 527-2539; email at jobstartph@yahoo.com.

Source: www.dole.gov.ph