GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/1 March) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region has expanded its computerized skills registry system (SRS) to facilitate the inclusion of graduating students of universities, colleges and technical-vocational (tech-voc) schools in the area.
Patricio Blanza, DOLE Sarangani-General Santos director, said they have been visiting several tech-voc schools, colleges and universities in the city and nearby Sarangani province to register the graduating students into the SRS database and eventually help link them up with prospective employers.
He said they launched the skills registration last month in a local college here where they initially enlisted 318 graduating students to he SRS offline database system.
Aside from the SRS registration, Blanza said they also conducted seminars on job search/job placement and anti-illegal recruitment.
DOLE launched the SRS in 2008 to establish and maintain a manpower skills database for job seekers from various parts of the country.
“The registry features a roster of active manpower supply that shows information on the qualifications and skills of registrants that were either formally acquired in school or gained through experience. With a computerized system, this registry of skills can be readily accessed by clients or interested parties through an information highway that is available all throughout the country. In addition, a database on job posting of employers shall also be maintained and be made available to indicate the current demand for labor,” a project briefer said.
The agency utilized www.phil-job.net, an automated job and applicant matching system that aims to fast-track job seekers’ search for jobs and employers’ search for manpower, as the registry’s repository.
In Region 12, the agency already covered all four provinces and five cities in the area for the SRS registration in coordination with the local government units.
The region covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
Meantime, some 54 local companies and overseas placement agencies have signified intention to join a major jobs fair slated at the Robinsons Mall here on Thursday.
The jobs fair is the sixth edition of an annual job placement program undertaken by local tech-voc education leader Goldenstate College.
The event is supported by the city government, General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, RD Group of Companies, city tech-voc schools association, DOLE and the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).
Josie Yap-Tirador, Goldenstate College president, said that of the 54 entities that have signified to join the jobs fair, 20 will be offering overseas work placements.
Five of the participating companies and employment agencies were from Manila and Cebu while the remaining 29 are all based locally.
Tirador said that aside from the jobs fair, DOLE and TESDA will be conducting symposiums on the national competency qualifications as well as the national government’s support programs and services for job seekers.
She added that representatives from the Department of Homeland Security of the United States Embassy in Manila will also be conducting lectures on human trafficking and illegal recruitment. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)