Existing apprenticeships programs in the country must be further strengthened and expanded to help the unemployed and out-of-school youth, Senator Risa Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros, who is seeking another Senate seat, stressed Tuesday, March 22, that expanding the existing apprenticeship programs will help the out-of-school or unemployed youth find jobs.
It will also restore parents' confidence in the importance of education without thinking that the years-long of struggling to send their children to school are wasted because they are not able to land jobs related to their educational background.
“Inaalala ko ang mga magulang. Dahil matapos naming maitawid sa pag-aaral ang mga anak namin, baka madismaya kami dahil sobrang napakahirap ang maghanap ng trabaho na akma sa pinaghirapang kurso ng aming mga anak (I am thinking about the parents. Because after what they went through to send their kids to school, they might end up dismayed over the difficulty in securing a job related to their courses)," Hontiveros said.
The senator identified the target youth apprentices as those aged 15 to 24 years old — particularly the ones who stopped going to school or have not been able to land jobs due to problems arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The number of youth categorized as not in employment, education, or training (NEET) had been in remarkable decline over the past years. In 2006, there were 4.7 million out-of-school or unemployed youth while in January 2020, 16.9 percent or 3.4 million youth were out-of-school or unemployed.
“During the pandemic, and as early as April 2020, 25.3 percent of youth were in the NEET category — back to the highest levels in the past decade. And we expect still another jump," Hontiveros said.
The lawmaker lamented that “if nothing is done,” industry experts say it could take some time before this year's graduates are absorbed by the job market.
She further said that something must be done for the sake of the youth, especially with the lingering unemployment and underemployment.
Hontiveros urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to expand its apprenticeship programs for the youth.
The DOLE currently has three employment programs. There's the Jobstart Philippines Program implemented in partnership with the private sector and LGUs for the benefit of at-risk youth; the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES); and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Apprenticeship and Learnership Programs.
The senator noted that private firms should also take a more active role in mentoring the youth.
“Most, if not all, businesses use digital tools and platforms for their operations,” she said. “The youth are digital natives. Perhaps, businesses can come up with apprenticeships in content creation or digital marketing.”
Hontiveros is also pushing youth agri-preneurship for those in rural areas.
“Meron tayong pending bill na magsusulong ng agrikultura at pagnenegosyo sa kanayunan. Para mapatunayan natin sa kabataan na may kinabukasan sa agrikultura (We have a pending bill pushing for agriculture and entrepreneurship in rural areas to show the youth that there is a future in agriculture)," she said.
The senator reiterated that it is important for the youth and their parents not to lose hope, even as the country continues to reel from the effects of the pandemic.
“Kahit na na-delay o natigil sila sa pag-aaral, dapat maramdaman nilang sulit ang mag-pursigi. Dapat malaman ng kabataan na hindi sayang ang pagsisikap nilang mag-aral dahil may katumbas itong maayos ng hanapbuhay (Despite the delays and stop in studying, they must feel that their perseverance is worth it. The youth must know that their hardwork in studying will not be put to waste and that they will be able to land jobs related to what they have studied)," Hontiveros said.