The Pampanga Public Employment Services Office (PESO) has been providing career coaching to in-school, out-of-school youth particularly to the graduating high school students regarding their proper career choices in college since January, this year.
Luningning Vergara, PESO manager said that this is in line with the order of Governor Lilia G. Pineda to guide in-school and out-of-school youth in making the right decisions in life, particularly in choosing their career path.
Earlier, the governor had instructed the PESO to synchronize programs and activities involving the youth so as to direct their efforts into producing more concrete results for their welfare.
Started in January, the career coaching efforts of the PESO covered various public high schools in the province, benefiting thousands of students in their third and fourth year.
“Mayro’n ding mga private high schools na nag-request nito sa amin at aming napagbigyan,” claimed Jonathan Lintag, PESO coordinator on youth affairs.
The students are given labor marketing information, as to what courses will be in demand five to ten years from now, so that “they may be guided in their next move, particularly those who are limited financially”.
According to Lintag, they sometimes advise the candidates for graduation to either, stop studying, work and save up, then enroll; or study and work at the same time.
Career coaching for the youth is one of the thrusts of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Education (DepEd) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Vergara disclosed that young people experienced in local fast food outlets are in demand for jobs abroad particularly in Canada. She said that there are also jobs abroad for experienced cutters (in garments) and meat processing.
She also revealed that speed sewers are needed in a company based in Clark and the governor wants to eventually arrange for a facility to house them there, to make things more convenient for them, both financially and physically.
In addition to the coaching, the Provincial Manpower and Training Center (PMTC) is also conducting community-based trainings, leading to possible employment.
“We encourage them to complete a one-year course in school, gain two years of work experience, particularly for the poorest of the poor, ” Lintag said.
He cited as an example their partnership and agreement with the Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University (DHVTSU) where one can attend three to six months of schooling, another six months of on-the-job training, and then an absorption into the work force.
Vergara stated that the provincial government is exerting greater efforts to assist the youth towards becoming better skilled and gainfully employed.
“All they need to do is to heed appropriate advice and patiently work their way into becoming eligible workers whose skills are demanded by the job market,” she added. (Eloisa P. Galang, Pampanga PIO)
