HEIs ordered to put up job opportunities corner in campus

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has ordered higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country to put up job opportunities corner to help their students find employment and scholarships.

In a recent memorandum order, CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan instructed all colleges and universities to establish a Labor Market Information (LMI) corner in their respective institutions.

“This LMI corner shall be installed in a location easily accessible by all students in each HEI,” Licuanan said.

She said the LMI shall contain advocacy materials from the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Professional Regulation Commission and the Department of Science and Technology.

It must also contain regular and special publications of the DOLE regarding in-demand and hard-to-fill occupations and industries, career guidance materials, available scholarship grants, higher education priority courses, among others.

“The LMI will inform HEI students about the government assistance they can access and guide them in deciding what career path to take after college and what industries to enter once they get into the labor force,” Licuanan said.

CHED data showed that over 550, 000 college students graduated last school year.

DOLE launched last June the JobStart Philippines program, which aims to increase the employability of the youth by providing them access to technical and life skills training demanded by employers.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz noted that youth unemployment had decreased by 1.1 percent, or by 13,000 — from 16.8 percent in April 2013 to 15.7 percent in April 2014.

However, youth unemployment still accounts for almost half, or 49.8 percent, of the country’s total unemployed placed at 2.924 million, she said.

There are 1.456 million unemployed youth as of April 2014, according to the Philippine Statistical Authority’s Labor Force Survey, accounting for 16 percent of the total youth labor force of 9.254 million. The youth belong to the 15-24 age bracket.