Finally, government addresses skills-and-job mismatch problem

THE government has launched a National Skills Registry System (SRS) to help narrow down the mismatch between a job seeker’s skills against current job availability, a common problem experienced by new graduates.

The new office is under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

In a speech before the 10th national congress of the Public Employment Service Office (Peso) held at the Taal Vista Hotel on Tuesday, President Aquino said it was high time the skill-and-job mismatch problem was addressed by the government.

“It is sad that the common misconception is that there are no jobs to be found in the Philippines when, in truth, there is an abundance of vacant jobs that need to be filled. The problem is that the skill of the prospective applicant does not meet the requirements of the prospective job,” the President said.

He said aside from bridging the job and skill mismatch, the SRS will also be instrumental in the implementation of the government’s Emergency Employment Program (EEP), which will be relaunched soon.

He said the EEP will not only focus on emergency work programs and doable and fundable livelihood projects given to citizens in times of crisis but also on the improvement of these “temporary jobs” to become permanent job skills within a certain community.

But Mr. Aquino noted that a prospective work force in a community would not be possible if the Peso is not attuned to searching for these individuals.

He said  through job-matching portals, such as the government’s PhilJobNet, information on job vacancies and prospective employers would be made available to job seekers nationwide.

Mr. Aquino said he has instructed the DOLE to put up a coordinative system to oversee this program and execute its implementation.

The President also said he wanted career-guidance classes in elementary schools to ensure that pupils make the right career decisions as adults in the future.

He said the departments of education, labor and employment as well as the Professional Regulation Commission must study how to integrate career guidance in the curriculum of schools.

The President also said the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Administration should consider amending the current curriculum in the secondary and tertiary levels to make them more relevant to the skills level of students. –Businessmirror