Construction Industry featuredin 3rd DOLE Kapihan at Balitaan

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) conducted its 3rd Kapihan at Balitaan session with its industry partners on 19 November 2014 at the Midas Hotel, Pasay City. The theme of the session focused on the employment trends in construction industry.

“This Kapihan at Balitaan session serves as an avenue to exchange views and solicit feedback on recent developments and issues in the construction industry, particularly on matters concerning the industry’s employment and human resource development. It is an integral step in disseminating up-to-date labor market information (LMI) and strengthening government and industry partnership,” DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said.Together with DOLE Secretary Baldoz, OIC-Assistant Secretary Katherine B. Brimon, Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) Director Dominique R. Tutay, and LCO Director Nicon F. Fameronag were Assistant Director Kathleen P. Mangune from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Mr. Delfin J. Wenceslao Jr., President of the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA) who all served as panellists in the session.

“DOLE engages industries identified as key employment generators (KEGs) - the construction industry being one of them - in the recently published JobsFit Labor Market Information Report 2013-2020 through these series of Kapihan at Balitaan sessions. It is essential for the government to engage in the concerned industry groups to boost employment and provide signals for the academe and jobseekers,” OIC-Assistant Secretary Brimon said.

“This meeting promotes coordination and synergy between the government and industry sector... it is a key element in information exchange. Continued talks with our industry partners help us in validating our reports and studies,” Director Tutay said. “We would like to thank the representatives of the various media platforms in this meeting for their continued support to the Department, she ended.

“The Philippine government’s platform of inclusive growth has put the human resource base as the core of all policy reform initiatives. The government is committed to helping students and jobseekers find jobs,” DOLE Undersecretary Reydeluz D. Conferido said as he delivered the keynote message of Secretary Baldoz during the awarding ceremony in Bataan.

The Provincial Government of Bataan, in partnership with the Servicio Filipino Inc. (SFI) Group of Companies and American College Testing (ACT), conducted the International Career Readiness Certificate (ICRC) Awarding Ceremony in Balanga City, Bataan on 11 November 2014 with the theme, “The Youth of Bataan: Our Present Day Heroes”.

DOLE Supports International Career Readiness Certificate Awarding Ceremony in Bataan

The ICRC is a globally recognized credential that measures essential workplace skills. From January to March 2014, SFI and ACT conducted a K-12 Key Train Curriculum Efficacy Study of selected 3rd year high school students from the 12 municipalities of Bataan. Three hundred twenty two (322) students from Bataan received the ICRC, making them the first in the Asia-Pacific region to receive such credential.

The awarding ceremony was attended by local chief executives from the Province of Bataan, officials from DOLE and the Department of Education (DepEd), and students who received the ICRC.

Editorial Board: Dir. Dominique R. Tutay | Ms. Ruth R. Rodriguez Ms. Sharie Anne A. de Guzman | Mr. Kempee Royce M. Cruz

Contributing Writer: Mr. Miguel Luis U. Arias

Career Guidance Advocates continue support to DOLE in addressing job-skill mismatch

The Board of Directors of the Networks of Career Guidance Advocates of the Philippines (NCGAP), Inc. expressed their continued support to the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) commitment on the promotion of decent and gainful employment for all Filipino workers, especially the youth. The Board convened for their 2nd Semestral Meeting on 27-28 November 2014 in Cebu City.

DOLE, through its networks of career guidance advocates across the country, conducts regular career guidance to the youth, particularly the high school and higher education institution (HEI) students, technical-vocational education and training (TVET) institution trainees, and their parents and guardians.

“Labor Market Information (LMI), along with guidance and counseling foundation, are key elements to good career guidance. Their relevance is emphasized by DOLE as it seeks to address the perennial issue of job-skill mismatch in the country. We are proud to stand in support of DOLE continued efforts on this matter,” said Dr. Bonifacio N. Mercado, Jr., NCGAP, Inc. President

The Career Guidance and Employment Coaching (CGEC) program is one of the commitments of DOLE to the larger, national Career Guidance Advocacy Program (CGAP) which aims to immerse parents and students on the realities of the labor market, through good career guidance services and enhanced delivery of LMI, and also convince the country’s guidance counselors and career guidance advocates to take part in the Philippine government’s advocacy on job-skill matching.

“In our pursuit to address job-skill mismatch, we strive to enhance the quality of career guidance services being provided to the youth. As such, CGEC also offers regular capacity building activities for the guidance counselors and other career guidance advocates across the country,” said Ms. Ruth R. Rodriguez, Chief Labor and Employment Officer of BLE. “While we try to make our youth discover and develop their psychological, educational, vocational, and professional potentialities, and eventually achieve an optimal level of personal welfare and social usefulness, we also want our partners – the frontline providers of career guidance – develop their skills and achieve growth in their professions and vocations. We seemingly hit two targets with the CGEC program,” she ended.

The recently held 2nd Board Meeting has convened the Board’s officers in a planning session which discussed the crafting of the group’s constitution and by-laws, and strategies on future ventures of the group, in partnership with DOLE, that would help increase the membership and equip current members of the NGCCAs with knowledge and skills on effective career guidance for their respective clients.

The networks serve as firsthand allies in the implementation of DOLE’s career guidance activities. To date, there are 107 networks of career guidance advocates across the country with a total membership of 5,278. The networks are composed of guidance counselors and practitioners and other private and public individuals from other national government agencies (NGAs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and civic groups, and industry, employer and worker groups who stand by the CGAP’s cause.

Find your dream trabaho today!

As the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ventures on expanding the reach of Labor Market Information (LMI), career information resources, and employment facilitation services to Filipino jobseekers, it has joined forces with Quantum X, Inc. to develop mobile application of PhilJobNet.

Alongside launching the new look and enhanced features of the PhilJobNet, the Philippine government’s official web-based LMI and job search, matching, and referral portal, in the 14th National Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Congress on 23 October 2014, the new PhilJobNet mobile application was also made available for download through Google Play and Apple Store.Through the PhilJobNet mobile application, jobsearch, LMI, and career

information are just a click or tap away!Download the PhilJobNet mobile app now!

FEATURE