DepEd counselors help students get employment

CEBU, Philippines - At least 344 district and school guidance counselors of the Department of Education (DepEd) undergo orientation on Project Jobsfit and other School-Job Bridging Services.

Department of Labor and Employment-7 Regional Director Maria GloriaTango said the orientation will help high school students plan their careers and prepare for the competitive world of work.

“We support the need to provide our Career Guidance Counselors, high school students and their parents, relevant labor market information about in-demand occupations until year 2020, through our Project Jobs Fit,” Tango said.

The orientation was conducted recently at the Eco-Tech Center in Sudlon, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City.

According to Tango, interest and financial capability should not be the only bases for choosing careers among popular college courses.

She said that if the students want to increase their chance of getting hired after graduation, they should understand labor market signals like what occupations have high employment prospects, competency standards and economic pay offs.

“They should also learn what careers are associated to industrially-demanded occupations, the various educational and training modalities, and what schools are providing vocational or college degrees that the labor market wants,” Tango added.

There are several job vacancies available but the existing manpower resources are not responsive of industrial needs.

Tango placed high regard to advocacy-oriented Guidance Counselors as the right persons in raising awareness to students and parents about education and occupational mismatch, and in taking leadership to bridge identified school to job challenges. 

“Access to career education and counseling services should be provided early in high school because during senior years, students have already chosen their careers or have taken college entrance examinations,” she added.

In a separate interview, DepEd Regional Director Recaredo Borgonia concurred with the DOLE that the interest and financial capability should not be the only bases for choosing careers.

Borgonia expressed gratitude to DOLE for new partnership. 

The labor market inputs from the DOLE are intended to help DepEd Guidance Coordinators/Counselors improve their career counseling functions.  

Borgonia hoped that many students will be happy with their chosen careers in the future and well compensated for their educational investments. 

DOLE pointed out the labor supply demand gap, in-demand and hard to fill jobs from Project Jobs Fit. 

Web-based or online career guidance resources were also introduced like Onet from the US Department of Labor (www.onetonline.org), Phil-Jobnet (www.phil-job.net) job portal of the Department of Labor and Employment, Philippines and career coaching materials from the Bureau of Local Employment (www.ble.dole.gov.ph). — (FREEMAN)