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Students hit DoLE's promo on IT courses

BAGUIO CITY (Apr. 17) – College Editor Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Baguio-Benguet chairperson Angelica Campo criticized the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) for promoting information technology (IT) courses to the detriment of the Filipino local needs for technical expertise.

Campo emphasized that she did not disagree with IT courses but more so, “It is the intention of the said course for the country that has to be redirected.”

The National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP) Baguio-Benguet coordinator John Panem said that the curriculum of IT-related courses are designed to benefit the needs of foreign companies.

He also added that basic knowledge of computer is a need that can be focused and utilized to support the Philippines’ main livelihood – agricultural production. And, to help sustain the country’s known abundant natural resources.

Moreover, because of the orientation and direction of these courses are for jobs abroad, there is a lack of job opportunities for their qualifications. For the worth they are educated, the salaries available are too low. So, graduates are attracted to apply at foreign owned call centers and the like.

Panem also observed that the government budget allocation is far less for education, compared to debt servicing which is the top priority in the national budget. Depriving basic support for our education system.

Mrs. Emelita Ferrer, Chief Labor Employment officer, describes that graduates of IT-related courses such as mass communication, computer science, computer engineering, electronic and communication engineering would probably have a secured job readily available for them in the next years because of rampant need for technology literacy.

However, Ferrer clarified that she does not insist that the students take IT courses if they have no interest in it. “If a student’s interest is in another field where he/she could excel, then he/she should pursue his/her wanted course,” she said.

According to Commission on Higher Education (Ched), four consistent top-rating courses (based on number of enrollees for the past two years) are: medical and allied courses; business administration and related courses; education and teacher training; engineering and technology courses respectively.

There are 15 universities and colleges in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) that offer nursing gaining 23.43% of the entire students’ population in the region.

Mrs. Geraldine Lucban, DoLE employee said, “Incoming nursing students could expect lower chance of employment after five years. They could become assistant nursing aids or caregivers abroad. However, they might be the least chosen by an employment agency abroad because some doctors nowadays take nursing courses to earn more (as nurses have higher salaries).”

As response to the problem of unemployment, the DoLE, together with the University of Cordilleras and Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications Company (PLDT), initiated the Job Fair and TRACES Recruitment.

TRACES aims to assess and train interested people in English proficiency, technical competency, capability and “confidence” building, Ferrer explains. They offer 31 training days with the assurance that there are agencies ready to accept the trainees for employment.

Lucban added that TRACES aims to prepare the applicants in call centers and even in other fields, especially courses related to communication and technology skills. # Jay-ar Gervacio/MMSU Intern for NORDIS.

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