SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the Ilocos Region seeks to help young people find jobs faster through its youth employment programs, focusing on improving skills that match current job market demands.
In an episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on Sept. 17, DOLE-1 Assistant Regional Director Honorina Dian-Baga said that its youth employment programs seek to equip the youth with technical skills aligned with the existing needs of available jobs in the labor market.
Dian-Baga adds that the programs also meet the manpower needs of private sector establishments by preparing the youth to excel in technical roles.
The DOLE’s efforts to assist the youth with employment opportunities align with the agency’s overarching goal of providing every Filipino worker with meaningful, stable, and productive employment.
She also emphasized that the department’s broader objectives include not only improving job prospects for young people but also enhancing working conditions for all workers in the Ilocos Region.
“DOLE’s vision is to ensure that every Filipino worker achieves full, decent, and productive employment,” Dian-Baga said.
DOLE’s initiative to bridge the gap between skilled youth and job market opportunities includes supporting 22,466 beneficiaries through its job readiness programs from July 2022 to June 2024.
Of this number, 450 youth enrollees benefited from the JobStart Program, which provides career coaching, technical and life skills training, and internships with employers.
The Government Internship Program (GIP) meanwhile contributed to the majority of the figure, assisting 13,187 youths and providing P345 million in financial support during the same period.
“The program offers internships to young individuals in various government agencies, aiming to broaden their experience and enhance their skills,” Dian-Baga said.
The GIP offers 3- to 6-month internship opportunities for youth aged 18 to 30, including high school students, technical-vocational trainees, college graduates, and out-of-school youth. Participants gain hands-on experience in government work through placements in national and local government units and agencies.
Dian-Baga added that 8,829 youths were also supported through the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), providing a total of ₱30 million in assistance.
“SPES offers students and out-of-school youth the opportunity for seasonal employment, helping them meet their educational needs,” Dian-Baga remarked.
For Angela Joy Rivera, a GIP beneficiary currently stationed at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 1, the opportunity to work in the government through the program enhances her skills that she can use for further professional development.
“I am learning a lot from the opportunity I got with the GIP. It enhances my skills and I am learning new ones that I can hopefully use to improve my career in the future,” Rivera said.
Aside from youth employability, the DOLE also promotes workers’ rights and industrial peace through inspections, technical assistance, and labor and employment education programs.
Informal sector workers are also assisted through social safety net programs such as is livelihood program and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. (MJTAB/CCMT, PIA La Union)
