Making Filipino Graduates More Employable

Photo credit: Roy Domingo / planetphilippines.com

When the World Economic Forum (WEF) released its Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011, it painted a picture of the global economy at a time characterized by significant uncertainty.

According to the WEF, “Economies are advancing at different speeds and there is still a risk of a ‘double dip’ in a number of countries.”

It then went on to highlight 12 pillars that determine a country’s level of competitiveness, one of which is Higher Education and Training. “Quality higher education and training,” the report states, “is crucial for economies that want to move up the value chain beyond simple production processes and products.

Today’s globalizing economy requires countries to nurture pools of well-educated workers who are able to adapt rapidly to their changing environment and the evolving needs of the production system.”

The report further revealed that the Philippines ranked a poor seventh among nine Southeast Asian nations in the area of education, science and technology, and innovation. Such a shame because in a recent media roundtable discussion with Jobstreet.com, Marketing Director Yoda Buyco revealed that there is actually a surplus of jobs available in the country.

Continue reading at Manila Bulletin

Fortune 500 Firm Fluor Corporation Opens Cebu Office, to Hire More Engineers

Fortune 500 company, Fluor Corp., a US-based construction and management firm, which opened an office in Cebu recently, is targeting to hire some 150 engineering graduates by the end of this year, as it hopes to grow its pool of employees to 300 by 2012.

“We will be aggressive in our presence in Cebu, as we have successfully done in Manila,” said Peter Oosterveer, group president of Fluor’s Energy and Chemicals Group. “:n the next few months, we will be hiring more engineers.”

The company launched its engineering and design facility in Cebu at the TGU Tower, at the Asiatown IT Park. Said facility is the second office opened by the firm in the Philippines – their Alabang quarters currently employs a sizeable workforce–and its fourth in Southeast Asia.

Oosterveer said that because Fluor is a knowledge-based outsourcing firm, it will need the expertise of local engineering graduates from industrial, chemical, and mechanical to do “highly complicated technical work” from engineering design, procurement, and construction management services, among others.

He expressed optimism that the company would be able to find a ready pool of engineers in Cebu, saing that Fluor’s reason for choosing the Philippines as one of its growth areas in Asia is due largely to the country’s good relationship with US-based companies, as well as the Filipino work ethic, flexibility and quality of skill.

“The company’s strong presence for about 25 years in the Philippines is enough testament of our confidence in the country,” Oosterveer said.

Continue reading at Manila Bulletin

Singapore’s Resort World Sentosa Seeks to Fill 1,000 Vacancies

While Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) used to draw crowds of 6,000 to 8,000 to its recruitment fairs in 2009 during the economic downturn, a turnout of 500 to 600 now would be enough to make the integrated resort “very happy

The tight job market has made it a challenge for RWS to hire, as it looks to fill about 1,000 vacancies for its new facilities, which will include a maritime museum and aquarium and two hotels, said senior vice-president of HR and training Ms Seah-Khoo Ee Boon.

More than 500 of the vacancies are in RWS’ Marine Life Park, which is scheduled to open in the second half of next year.

Some of the vacant positions include aquarists, marine mammal specialists and divers – specialised jobs which are challenging to fill.

But the IR, which has held job fairs in HDB heartlands in recent months, will remain focused on hiring Singaporeans, stressed Ms Seah-Khoo at a press briefing on Monday.

Continue reading at Channel News Asia

500 Jobs in Japan for Philippine Nurses

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said that Japan is in need of 500 nurses from the Philippines.

The proposed deployment is under the current Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). Successful nurses will initially work as assistants and can be fully recognized as registered nurses after they pass the local licensure exams. They are expected to earn ¥200,000 or P200,000 as nursing assistants.

POEA will screen job applicants starting in November.

Job requirements for applicants are the following:

Graduate of Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Passed the board exam in the Philippines
Has 3 years work experience in a hospital
Physically and mentally fit
Qualified nurses can file their applications online at www.poea.gov.ph or www.eregister.poea.gov.ph.