Baldoz: Thousands of vacancies await jobseekers as second quarter jobs fair reel off

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MANILA – About 70,000 vacancies await jobseekers as the second quarter of 2016 jobs fairs reel off nationwide.

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said this Tuesday, adding that the job opportunities only represented the top 10 vacancies posted as of first week of March in the PhilJobNet, the government’s job search and skills matching portal.

Baldoz, citing the data from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), said that a total of 692,602 will graduate this year based on 2015-2016 academic year. Of this number, NCR has the most number of graduates, pegged at 157,761; followed by Region IV-A, (74,644); Region III, (70,387); Region VII, (56,740); Region VI, (54,488); Region V, (37,382); Region I, (32,873); Region X, (29,861); Region II, (28,747); Region VIII, (25,454); Region XI, (23,701); CAR, (22,364); Region XII, (20,879); Region IX, (20,045); Region IV-B, (15,421); ARMM, (11,036); and CARAGA, with 10,819.

“The DOLE has been doubling its efforts to engage more employers to participate in job fairs, thus ensure that there would be sufficient employment opportunities which jobseekers can choose from to fit with their qualifications,” said Baldoz.

The top courses with most graduates in AY 2015-2016, she added, were business administration and related disciplines, education science and teacher training, I.T. related disciplines, engineering and technology courses, medical and allied courses, maritime, social and behavioral sciences, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, service trades, and natural science courses.

Baldoz, on the other hand, said that top vacancies posted in the PhilJobNet as of March 7, 2016 were call center agents, with 26,646 vacancies; customer service assistant (9,348); production or factory workers (7,199); service crews (6,007); sugarcane farmers (5,000); sewers (4,700); credit and collection specialist (4,000), electronic equipment assembler (2,500), staff nurse (2,395); and cashier, with 2,166 vacancies.

She said job fairs were still one of the best ways for jobseekers to match their qualifications with vacancies available, as well as to employers to search for qualified workers, as both were converged into one venue.

These job fairs are held in coordination with various employers, local government units (LGUs), through their respective Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), academic institutions, and DOLE regional offices.

Citing the information accessible at the PhilJobNet, Baldoz bares the job fairs’ schedules, as follows:

Cordillera Administrative Region: 29 April- Centennial Hall, University of Baguio, Baguio City; 18 June-Pasil, Kalinga; 21-22 June-Tabuk City, Kalinga;

Region III: 14 April- Multi-Purpose Hall, STI Balagtas Campus, Balagtas, Bulacan;

Region IV-A: 07 April-Calamba City Hall, Calamba, Laguna; 14 April-Calamba City Hall, Calamba, Laguna; 15 April-Bayog, Los Baños, Laguna; 16 April-Covered Court, Brgy., Banay, Cabuyao City Laguna; 18 April-Pavilion Mall, Biñan City, Laguna; 21 April- Calamba City Hall, Calamba, Laguna; 22 April-PUP Biñan, Laguna; 29 April-Gabaldon Hall, Los Baños, Laguna; 01 May-SM Calamba; 01 May-Waltermart Cabuyao, Brgy., Banlic, Cabuyao City, Laguna; 07 May-Brgy. Timbao, Biñan City, Laguna; 12 May-San Antonio, Los Baños, Laguna; 21 May-Calamba City Hall, Calamba, Laguna; 22 May- Brgy., Casile, Biñan, Laguna; 26 May-Calamba City Hall, Calamba, Laguna; 27 May-Gabaldon Hall, Los Baños, Laguna; 29 May-Brgy., Ganado, Biñan City, Laguna; 09 June-Calamba City Hall,Calamba, Laguna; 11 June-Covered Court, Brgy., Niugan, Cabuyao City, Laguna; 16, 23 & 30 June-Calamba City Hall, Calamba, Laguna;

Region VI: 8 April– Manuel Y. Torres Memorial Coliseum, Bago City, Negros Occidental;

Region XI: 01 April-DOSTCST Gymnasium, Mati City; 01 April-UM Panabo College, Panabo City; 08 April-SMC Old Function Hall, Tagum City; 20 April-Assumption College of Nabunturan Gymnasium, Comval Province; 22 June-Maco Gymnasium, Maco, Comval Province;

Region XII: 05 April-University of Southern Mindanao Kabacan, Cotabato; 29 April-New City Hall, Koronadal City; 27 May- New City Hall, Koronadal City; 17 June-Municipal Hall Lobby, Tampakan, South Cotabato; 20 June-Municipal Ground, Surallah, South Cotabato; 24 June-New City Hall, Koronadal City;

CARAGA: 01 May-DOLE Agusan del Sur Field Office, JP Rosales Ave., Butuan City; 01 May-DOLE Agusan del Sur Field Office, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; 01 May- DOLE Surigao del Sur Field Office, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur; 12 June-DOLE Regional Office, JP Rosales Ave., Butuan City; 14-15 June-Naliyagan Cultural Center, Patin-Ay, Agusan del Sur; 20 June-LGU Tandag City; 22 June-Municipal Lobby, Francisco, Agusan del Sur; 23-24 June-Gymnasium, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

Baldoz also said that it was during the second quarter of the year when two of the biggest job fairs were held, one was on May 1, Labor Day and June 12, during the Philippine Independence Day.

“Initially, we have firmed up 46 job fairs to be mounted in the second quarter. But this is expected to surge further as soon as other DOLE regional offices have finalized their own schedules, including its conduct of Labor Day and Philippine Independence Day job fairs,” she explained.

Baldoz reminded jobseekers to bring with them the following documents before going to any of these job fairs: resume or curriculum vitaé; 2×2 ID pictures (have multiple copies for multiple applications); certificate of employment (for those who were formerly employed); diploma; transcript of records; and authenticated birth certificate.

She further added that interested jobseekers may visit http://www.phil-jobnet.dole.gov.ph/Schedule.aspx, for regular updates of job fair schedules and venues.