Which occupations in the Philippines lack skilled workers?

MANILA, Philippines – With many Pinoys finding it hard to get jobs, it may be difficult to believe there are some occupations that lack skilled workers.

According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), there are many occupations in the Philippines where there is a shortage of skills. This is why the DOLE is mulling the possibility of opening some occupations to foreign skilled workers.

The DOLE recently released the Skills Occupational Shortage List, which includes occupations where there is a “shortage of skills and could be opened potentially to foreign skilled workers.”

“(This is) a two-pronged sword that would serve as a signal to employers, industry, professional groups, education and training institutions to expand training/ educational opportunities in identified occupations and can be utilized as basis for policy formulation in the deployment sector and/or entry of skilled workers to promote ‘brain gain’ or technology transfer,” the DOLE said.

Here is the DOLE’s Skills Occupational Shortage List (preliminary):

Architect
Chemical Engineer
Chemist
Environmental Planner
Fisheries Technologist
Geologist – Geophysicist, petrogeochemist, petrophysicist, micropaleontologist, engineering geologist
Guidance Counselor
Librarian (licensed)
Medical Technologist
Sanitary Engineer
Computer Numerical Control Machinist
Assembly Technician (Servo-actuator/ Valve)
Test Technician
Pilot
Aircraft Mechanic

However, the Kilusang Mayo Uno criticized Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz’s statement that the government is opening up jobs in the country to foreigners, saying there is no shortage of skilled workers in the Philippines.

“The country’s high unemployment rate, the number of Filipinos leaving the country to work abroad, and the number of skilled Filipinos in the call center sector show there’s no dearth of Filipinos looking for jobs,” said KMU chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog. –ABS-CBNnews.com