Foreign businesses offer longer OJT for students

To help address the mismatch between available jobs and college graduates, foreign-owned businesses in the country would offer longer internship programs to qualified students.

“There is a need to develop a dual training program where college students will have longer working hours in companies,” Chris Ward, Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines board member, said.

“We want to collaborate with educational institutions in the country in helping students acquire the right competency and training needed to succeed in their chosen work after graduating from college,” he said.

Member-companies belonging to the American, Australian-New Zealand, British, Canadian and European business chambers would offer up to four months of on-the-job training.

Interested applicants for internship could apply during the Foreign Chambers Employment Expo 2010 on April 24 to 25 at Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.

“The internship program that will be made available during the employment expo will allow students to understand better the rudiments of the work place, develop the proper skills, and [have a] chance to be eventually hired by the same company after graduation,” Ward, who is also chairman of this year’s Foreign Chambers Employment Expo, said.–Ben Arnold O. De Vera, Manila Times