DOLE: Shortage of applicants with right competencies, biggest job challenge

The main reason behind the difficulty in filling-up job vacancies is the readiness of a jobseeker, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The Labor Turnover Survey of 2011 conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment's Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (DOLE-BLES) showed that in Metro Manila alone, there is an average of 75,000 job openings in various types of occupations at the end of each quarter during the said year.

For the same year, the survey indicated that the country's unemployment rate is pegged at 6.4 percent while underemployment registered at 19.1 percent.

Citing the results of the 2009 to 2010 BLES Integrated Survey, or BITS, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz explained why job vacancies are hard to fill up.

"There are actually two categories of hard-to-fill vacancies; one is where occupations with few applicants belong, and the other includes those occupations with large number of applicants, but with few qualified ones," Baldoz said.

However, for both categories, about one-fifth of the responses (43.4 percent) cited the shortage of applicants with the right competencies as the biggest recruitment challenge.

This was followed by applicant's expectation of high salary (19.5 percent); the applicant's lack of work experience (15.4 percent); absence of job applicant (7.3 percent); location or work schedule problems (4.5 percent); lack of professional license/TESDA certification (4.0 percent); competition from overseas employment (2.9 percent); and other reasons (2.4 percent).

"We're looking at it as opportunities for us to help jobseekers and new entrants to the work force improve their chances of being hired and employed by equipping them with relevant skills, valuable work experience, and proper work attitude through the various training and bridging-employment programs offered by the DOLE," she said.

For students, Out-of-school youths (OSY), and children of occupationally-disabled workers (ODWs) who aspire to gain significant work experience, the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns offers the Special Program for the Employment of Students.

This is a bridging employment program which tech-voc and tertiary education students can avail of year-round, and which high school students may avail of during summer vacation and Christmas breaks.

"It is also notable that as of Feb. 21, the Phil-Jobnet listed 128,000 job vacancies, the top 50 of which are in the construction, tourism, automotive, metals and engineering, electronics, and transport sectors," Baldoz said.

"To meet the demands of these sectors in terms of quantity and quality, the TESDA offers training programs that aim to develop skills required by these industries," she added.

She also emphasized technical-vocational courses as equally, if not more, viable alternative to four- or five-year degree courses.

Baldoz explained that TESDA offers training for skills required by the sectors of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning, electronics, agriculture and fishery, processed food and beverages, tourism, health and other community development services, information and communications technology, maritime, garments, footwear and leather goods, furniture and fixtures, and utilities through its network of 4,500 technical education and skills development (TESD) providers.

Jobseekers can acquire these employable skills through institution-based training or through TESD programs offered by public or private institutions, schools or training centers.