DOLE bares Phl’s most in-demand jobs

MANILA, Philippines - Accountants, cashiers and security guards are now among the most in-demand jobs in the country, a study conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) showed.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said DOLE has identified new in-demand and hard-to-fill occupations in the country after a review of the Project JobsFit: DOLE 2020 Vision.

“Project JobsFit was essentially reviewed, and we have found practical merit and significance to update the information contained in the document report…There had already been major changes on the current trends in the labor market since the study was conducted,” she said.

Baldoz said appraisers, checkers, drivers, machine operators, mechanical technicians, tellers and welders are also among the 237 in-demand jobs nowadays.

The labor chief said they have also identified 13 key employment generators (KEGS), namely: agribusiness; construction; information technology and business process management; health and wellness; hotel, restaurant and tourism; wholesale and retail trade; banking and finance; mining; transport and logistics; manufacturing; ownership, dwellings and real estate; education and power and utilities.

The study also identified 138 hard-to-fill positions, eight of which are seen to recur across all of the economy’s KEGS. These are chemist, CNC machinist, computer programmer, geologist, heavy equipment operator, medical technologist, pharmacist and surveyor.

Baldoz said, the government would focus on efforts to make jobseekers find a successful job match in view of the study.

Dominique Tutay, DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment director, said the updated Project JobsFit shall be presented before key agencies and tripartite partners as part of the National Manpower Summit next month.

“The summit intends to generate viewpoints from the participating sectors, identify the gaps in skills and competencies for local and overseas jobs, and formulate strategies and programs that government, industry, schools and training institutions could implement to generate the right workers required by each sector,” she said.