DOLE 6 promotes tech-voc courses
The Department of Labor and Employment in Western Visayas, in coordination with the Technical Education Skills Development Authority, will campaign for more students to take up technical and vocational courses.
Manuel Roldan, labor regional director, said he already informed TESDA Regional Director Buen Mondejar about the advocacy during the agency’s Regional Coordinating Council meeting, the Philippine News Agency said in a report.
The move is in line with the thrust of the Aquino administration to address employment concerns.
Roldan said there is a need for a “shift in the paradigm of students, especially parents whose dreams are to send their children to a four-year course.”
“We have felt that we have to intervene in providing information to parents and their children and students on what to pursue in order to get employment,” he said.
The trend now is that young females who have college degrees end up as domestic workers abroad or department store salesladies.
Even men who are degree holders find it difficult to get employed in construction jobs because they do not have the required skills.
“My approach is to educate our parents and students to take up vocational and technical courses instead. Most jobs with high demands are on the vocational and technical thing. This is their passport to getting a job,” he said.
“We have to learn our lesson from the past. I know this is a tall order but it’s about time to really pursue and offer more technical courses,” he added.
Roldan said he is now drafting the strategies on how to implement the plan with the support of other concerned agencies.
The DOLE will join career guidance forums in high schools as well, he said.
“It’s a matter of packaging to make it more attractive,” he added.*
