Students urged: Avoid 5 oversubscribed courses

MANILA, Philippines – The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) yesterday urged students to avoid five oversubscribed college courses to increase their chances of getting employment.

TUCP secretary-general Ernesto Herrera said the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has identified education, nursing, business administration, information technology, and hotel and restaurant management as “extremely oversubscribed” programs.

“We’re afraid the huge oversupply of graduates of these programs has made it exceptionally difficult for them to sell their skills to employers,” Herrera said.

“There are now too many fresh graduates of these five courses, and large numbers of new students still going into these programs,” he added.

Herrera said high school graduates and college students who could still shift courses should instead consider going into science and technology as well as agriculture and fisheries – programs which have been singled out by the CHED as undersubscribed.

Meanwhile, Herrera asked the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to reconsider their decision to scrap the traditional oath-taking for the 37,513 nursing graduates who passed the July licensure examination.

He said the labor group supports the appeal of the Philippine Nurses Association Inc. for the ceremony to proceed as scheduled on Sept. 25.

“Nurses consider the ritual a celebration of their profession. In a way, the observance also honors parents and families who have invested in a big way in the nursing education of their children,” Herrera said.

The PRC earlier cancelled the oath-taking for nurses to save on government funds.

‘Hilot’ future for young Pinoys

Believe it or not, “hilot” is not a thing of the past but the future for young Filipinos.

The labor department yesterday advised students to become massage therapists, locally known as “hilot,” to easily land a job.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said DOLE has identified the health and wellness industry as one of the 12 key employment generators that will provide more employment opportunities in the coming years.

Baldoz said wellness massage and spa therapy were identified among the in-demand skills in the next decade.

“Massage therapists who have completed formal training programs and have passed the licensure exam are likely to have very good job opportunities,” she said.

Aside from “hilot,” other in-demand skills are optometry, physical therapy, pharmacy, medical technology, clinical and internal medicine, surgery, and radiology.

“These occupations are expected to propel more employment opportunities in the industry, both local and overseas, up to 2020,” Baldoz said.

She said the nursing graduates, who successfully passed the licensure examination last July, will increase the number of unemployed people in the country.

“With the continuous glut of registered, yet unemployed nurses, alongside the recent developments highlighted by nurse-volunteerism in hospitals and institutions, I encourage students and workers to look at other healthcare professions if they want to get employed quickly,” Baldoz said.

The labor chief said workers in the health and wellness professions have entry level salaries ranging from P8,000 to P12,000 per month but may go up to P20,000 or higher after years of experience.

Abroad, the average salary is about $6,351 per month or higher.

“These kind of careers are in-demand not only in hospitals but also in laboratories, clinics, health maintenance organizations, public health agencies, pharmaceutical firms, research institutions, scientific equipment companies, physicians’ offices, and schools offering clinical laboratory science programs. Indeed, their licenses can bring them to greater heights and greener pastures,” Baldoz added.

DOLE urged students to check the summary information of all health-related courses in the career guide section posted at the Bureau of Local Employment website at http://www.ble.gov.ph.

The career guide contains information on hard-to-fill and highly in-demand occupations to help students planning their college courses and workers who would like to shift careers.

Meanwhile, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) called on private companies to revive and strengthen their apprenticeship programs and hire qualified trainees as part of their workforce.

TESDA director general Joel Villanueva said there is a need to push the apprenticeship program “because it has always been proven that the best place to acquire skills is in the workplace.”

He said these training schemes not only enhance partnership between the industry and technical vocational education training providers but also ensure a steady supply of best job-fit and ready workforce. –Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)