TO boost the employability of senior high school students, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Jobs Committee on Thursday signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to pilot an enhanced work immersion program.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing of the agreement during a ceremony in Malacañang.
"This partnership marks a significant milestone in our efforts to prepare the next generation for the workforce," said Go Negosyo founder Jose Ma. "Joey" Concepcion III, PSAC Jobs Committee Lead.
"By collaborating with DepEd and industry leaders, we can ensure that our students are job-ready and equipped with the skills needed in today's competitive job market," Concepcion said.
The MoA outlines key elements including an enhanced work immersion experience for students, curriculum alignment allowing more hours for students to learn skills aligned with current industry standards, teachers training to effectively guide students in their journey, and job fairs and matching opportunities.
The initiative aims to bridge the gap between theoretical education and practical industry experience, making students more attractive to potential employers.
Among the first industries to open their doors to the enhanced work immersion program for senior high schools are the Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, IT Business Processing Association of the Philippines, Philippine Constructors Association, Confederation of Wearables Exporters of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, iPeople through the National Teachers College, SM Group and Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (Go Negosyo). Ten schools, including one specializing in the Alternative Learning System, are scheduled to participate in the pilot program. These schools can choose focus areas such as IT-BPM, tourism and hospitality, agriculture and entrepreneurship, and manufacturing, sectors which are known for their high demand for workers and abundant job opportunities.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara expressed his support for the key step towards student employability. "This MoA gives our students the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience while still studying," Angara said.
"In that way, it follows the President's marching orders to us to do everything we can to improve the quality of our education and boost the chances of our graduates at landing better earning opportunities," he said.
The DepEd and PSAC Jobs, along with school heads and industry partners, have been conducting workshops and consultations to help them establish guidelines for the pilot program that will be implemented in this school year.
The PSAC Jobs members, together with PSAC strategic convenor Sabin Aboitiz, organized the Private Sector Jobs and Skills Corp. as a nonprofit, nonstock corporation to organize a national movement to solve the country's jobs and skills mismatch problem. The President has underscored the need for government and private sector cooperation to generate employment.
He has directed the Department of Labor and Employment, the DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to coordinate with the PSAC-Job Sector Group to come up with a system to increase collaboration to reduce the jobs and skills mismatch problem in the priority sectors.
A recent study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies found that 40 percent of employed Filipinos have academic credentials that make them overqualified for their jobs.
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