By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
Amid concerns raised on the effectiveness of the K to 12 Program especially in producing employable youth, an advocacy group maintained that more companies have expressed openness to hire Senior High School (SHS) graduates.
(Manila Bulletin file photo)
Philippine Business for Education (PBED), a non-profit that advocates for workforce development and encourages partnership among government, industry, and academe to ensure better alignment from education to employment, cited in its recent private-sector job outlook survey that of the 80 companies across 20 industries surveyed, three (3) out of five (5) companies are now open to hiring K to 12 graduates.
Openness, as explained by PBED Executive Director Love Basillote, is the “willingness of companies to hire K to 12 graduates.”
Meanwhile, the same outlook survey also pointed out that three (3) out of five (5) companies is now ready to hire K to 12 graduates. Readiness, according to PBED Workforce Development Program Director Justine Raagas, is the “capacity of companies to accommodate K to 12 graduates because of available facilities and adjusted hiring policies.”
Raagas said that among the indicators that companies are now more ready to hire K to 12 graduates include the implementation of Human Resources (HR) policies such as opening positions previously only for college graduates for SHS; articulating in job posts that positions do not require college degrees; removal of credential requirements in job posts; and the shift to competency-based hiring.
The result of the latest survey, Raagas noted in a recent press conference, also reflect the change in mindset about hiring SHS graduates and college graduates. In 2017, when PBEd conducted its first Job outlook survey, results showed that "1 of 5 is ready to hire K to 12 graduates” and “3 of 5 are open to hiring K to 12 graduates.” This is based on the 148 companies across 22 industries surveyed.
Finding employment
Last year, PBED partnered with Citi Foundation for an employability initiative called the “First Future” project. Since its launch in 2018, Basillote explained that the project has opened over 19,000 entry-level jobs and around 400 immersion positions for senior high school graduates and students.
Such is the case for Patricia Valerio, 18, who began her training in June as a customer service representative at Ibex Global Solutions. She belongs to the recent batch of K to 12 graduates who decided to look for employment opportunities after SHS.
“Senior high school graduates are skilled; there is no reason to disregard senior high school graduates," Valerio said. "We are very dedicated, very talented, and we have a lot of things to offer,” she added.
Ibex Human Resource Officer Erman Doctor explained that they find potential in the youth to support a growing industry such as theirs. “We have employees who are senior high school graduates and they're doing well in their job,” he said. “We also believe that knowledge doesn't stop in the four corners of the classroom, and in giving everyone a chance with the hope for them to pursue and dream for themselves,” he added.
Meanwhile, Angel Francisquete - who is part of the first batch of senior high school students that underwent the work immersion program at Quorum Group of companies - now considers this an edge in applying for and eventually getting in her first job. “Our K to 12 work immersion made me more confident now that I am actually employed,” she said. “I can show initiative because I had prior hands-on experience in the workplace most importantly, it has made me more comfortable in dealing with my colleagues, even if I am relatively young,” she added.
Quorum Group of Companies Human Resources Manager Jon Ortiz also called on more companies to keep up the strong show of support to the K to 12 program. “The K to 12 program is good but it needs the support of the private sector because we need to provide these students with the environment that will really prepare them and maximize their potential,” he said.
Ortiz also reminded SHS graduates that the skills they are being equipped with in their on-the-job experiences will play a huge part in shaping their future. “This is our corporate social responsibility but who knows, we might just find in you, future stars of the company,” he added.
In a culminating activity for the “First Future” project held at the Makati Shangri-La recently, PBEd Chairman Ramon del Rosario thanked over a hundred project partners, including Quorum and Ibex, who have “opened their doors to K to 12 graduates” and encouraged other members of the private sector “to do the same.”
Valerio and Francisquente are among the over 800 senior high school students and graduates who found immersion and employment opportunities through the “First Future” project. PBED said that while the first phase of the project has been completed, it will be a continuing initiative in line with its efforts address youth unemployment in the country.
(Manila Bulletin file photo)
Philippine Business for Education (PBED), a non-profit that advocates for workforce development and encourages partnership among government, industry, and academe to ensure better alignment from education to employment, cited in its recent private-sector job outlook survey that of the 80 companies across 20 industries surveyed, three (3) out of five (5) companies are now open to hiring K to 12 graduates.
Openness, as explained by PBED Executive Director Love Basillote, is the “willingness of companies to hire K to 12 graduates.”
Meanwhile, the same outlook survey also pointed out that three (3) out of five (5) companies is now ready to hire K to 12 graduates. Readiness, according to PBED Workforce Development Program Director Justine Raagas, is the “capacity of companies to accommodate K to 12 graduates because of available facilities and adjusted hiring policies.”
Raagas said that among the indicators that companies are now more ready to hire K to 12 graduates include the implementation of Human Resources (HR) policies such as opening positions previously only for college graduates for SHS; articulating in job posts that positions do not require college degrees; removal of credential requirements in job posts; and the shift to competency-based hiring.
The result of the latest survey, Raagas noted in a recent press conference, also reflect the change in mindset about hiring SHS graduates and college graduates. In 2017, when PBEd conducted its first Job outlook survey, results showed that "1 of 5 is ready to hire K to 12 graduates” and “3 of 5 are open to hiring K to 12 graduates.” This is based on the 148 companies across 22 industries surveyed.
Finding employment
Last year, PBED partnered with Citi Foundation for an employability initiative called the “First Future” project. Since its launch in 2018, Basillote explained that the project has opened over 19,000 entry-level jobs and around 400 immersion positions for senior high school graduates and students.
Such is the case for Patricia Valerio, 18, who began her training in June as a customer service representative at Ibex Global Solutions. She belongs to the recent batch of K to 12 graduates who decided to look for employment opportunities after SHS.
“Senior high school graduates are skilled; there is no reason to disregard senior high school graduates," Valerio said. "We are very dedicated, very talented, and we have a lot of things to offer,” she added.
Ibex Human Resource Officer Erman Doctor explained that they find potential in the youth to support a growing industry such as theirs. “We have employees who are senior high school graduates and they're doing well in their job,” he said. “We also believe that knowledge doesn't stop in the four corners of the classroom, and in giving everyone a chance with the hope for them to pursue and dream for themselves,” he added.
Meanwhile, Angel Francisquete - who is part of the first batch of senior high school students that underwent the work immersion program at Quorum Group of companies - now considers this an edge in applying for and eventually getting in her first job. “Our K to 12 work immersion made me more confident now that I am actually employed,” she said. “I can show initiative because I had prior hands-on experience in the workplace most importantly, it has made me more comfortable in dealing with my colleagues, even if I am relatively young,” she added.
Quorum Group of Companies Human Resources Manager Jon Ortiz also called on more companies to keep up the strong show of support to the K to 12 program. “The K to 12 program is good but it needs the support of the private sector because we need to provide these students with the environment that will really prepare them and maximize their potential,” he said.
Ortiz also reminded SHS graduates that the skills they are being equipped with in their on-the-job experiences will play a huge part in shaping their future. “This is our corporate social responsibility but who knows, we might just find in you, future stars of the company,” he added.
In a culminating activity for the “First Future” project held at the Makati Shangri-La recently, PBEd Chairman Ramon del Rosario thanked over a hundred project partners, including Quorum and Ibex, who have “opened their doors to K to 12 graduates” and encouraged other members of the private sector “to do the same.”
Valerio and Francisquente are among the over 800 senior high school students and graduates who found immersion and employment opportunities through the “First Future” project. PBED said that while the first phase of the project has been completed, it will be a continuing initiative in line with its efforts address youth unemployment in the country.