PNoy: Government Connects Students with Labor Sector to Address Job Mismatches

(Beijing, China) The Philippine government continues to hold dialogues with relevant sectors to address job mismatches, President Benigno S. Aquino III told delegates of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Chief Executive Officers’ Summit here Sunday.

The President was asked during the summit how his administration links graduates to the labor market.

“I guess the short answer is: We talk to the relevant sectors and engage them in dialogue to determine specifically their needs and wants are, not just for the current year, but more so in a four-year, five-year, 10-year program, so that we are in a position to be able to guide our students towards those courses that will afford them jobs as soon as they graduate,” he said.

Citing an example, he said one of the government’s thrust is to give state universities incentives if they could initiate studies or programs that directly benefit the people.

The government, he said, has also embarked on having dialogues with growth industries to ask them to map out specific areas where they would need skilled individuals.

He noted that the business processing management or outsourcing sector has about one million direct employees in the Philippines.

With the country’s population of about 100 million, and a workforce of about 50 million, the President estimated that the sector would employ 1.3 million by 2016.

A number of colleges and universities are offering courses tailored for particular industries to support their growth, and at the same time maximize the potential of Filipino students, he said.

He further said that the government is investing in short- and medium-term courses for the technical-vocational sector as a quick way for students to join the workforce.

The Chief Executive also mentioned the government’s conditional cash transfer program that gives parents incentives in return for keeping their children in school.

The government has expanded the program to include high school students, he said, citing a study that shows workers who have completed their high school education earn 40 percent more than those who did not. PND (as)

Photo above: President Benigno S. Aquino III answers questions during the panel discussion in the APEC CEO Summit 2014 held at the China National Convention Center here on Sunday (November 09). The APEC CEO Summit 2014 is the most important business event during the APEC Leaders’ Week. Also in photo is UPS chief executive officer David Abney. (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacañang Photo Bureau)