Engineering highest paying job for fresh grads
MANILA, Philippines — There is higher number of engineering students graduating this year, but few jobs—known to offer the highest salaries for starting positions—are open.
Citing data from the Commission on Higher Education, Seek Asia Regional Manager Yoda Buyco said at an engineering congress at the Technological Institute of the Philippines on Tuesday that 72,000 engineering graduates are set to enter the workforce this year.
"However, based on JobStreet.com job advertisements from last year, there are only 55,000 job openings available for people with engineering specializations," he said.
"This means that you have to work harder in order to get your first job," he added.
This doesn't come as a surprise since engineering jobs remain the highest paying job for fresh graduates.
"Engineering graduates get an average salary of P19,000 compared to non-technical positions that offer an average of P15,000," Buyco said.
Despite fewer job openings for fresh engineering graduates, Buyco revealed that "engineering jobs are growing across all positions and levels."
The engineering fields that are gaining popularity are mechanical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering and ECE.
Get hired
On job hiring, a JobStreet.com survey conducted from February 22 to March 6 reveals that employers prefer fresh graduates who are open to being trained, have good communication skills, and are sufficiently equipped with analytical and problem-solving skills as well as technological know-how.
The survey also showed that six of ten companies value the schools from where the applicant graduated.
Among the top ten schools on employers' list are Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Far Eastern University, Dela Salle University, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Mapua, University of the East, and Adamson University.
