DOLE 9 conducts JobsFit Consultation to address job-skills mismatch

• Source: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1401496217178/dole-9-conducts-jobsfit-consultation-to-address-job-skills-mismatch
• Sunday, June 4, 2017

By Jocelyn P. Alvarez

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- To address job-skills mismatch in the labor market and harmonize with that of the skills supply, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) recently convened with industrial tripartite partners in the region for a JobsFit Consultation Workshop.

JobsFit provides a map that guides job seekers to their dream jobs and employers to their ideal workers through appropriate and relevant signals.

It identified the key employment generators that have the potential to absorb the most number of workers. It also named the industries which are seen to provide the most number of employment opportunities in the long term.

The consultation which was attended by industrial tripartite councils (ITCs) such as the fishing and canning industries, academe, DOLE intermediaries and national government agencies served as avenue to obtain timely, relevant and accurate labor market information.

In a news release, DOLE 9 Information Officer Karen Claire Grafia said that the output of the participants contributed to the review and updating of demand requirements, emerging industries and skills supply.

To meet the expectations of the job market and help the job seekers better understand the job market demands, DOLE presented to the participants data JobsFit LMI report: 2013-2020 on Human Resource demand and Supply gaps in the Fishing and Canning Industry for validation and discussion.

“In the workshop that followed, participants reviewed and validated the data and responded to questions in line with issues and gaps on demand and supply competencies,” Grafia said.

Strategies and programs that will strengthen the government's job-skill matching system also formed part of the discussion.

Result of the workshop showed that in-demand jobs for the fishing and canning industries include skilled fish processing workers such as fish cleaners, skilled technicians, heavy equipment operators, accountants, marine biologists, marine engineers, oilers and fishermen.

“The participants brainstormed whether these jobs are hard to fill or have a high demand,” Grafia wrote.

It was a good thing that other ITCs such as the academe, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) were present in the workshop to directly address the issues and concerns of the fishing and canning industry.

Recommended interventions include industries and school collaboration in providing technical/vocational training, enrolment to TESDA’s apprenticeship/learners program, among others. (ALT/JPA/PIA9)