JOBSEEKERS. JobStart trainees in Tacloban City get their certificates after completing the Life Skills Training. The Department of Labor and Employment in Eastern Visayas announced Tuesday (Feb. 18, 2020) that JobStart will be launched in Catarman, Northern Samar. (Photo courtesy of Tacloban City government)
TACLOBAN CITY -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Tuesday JobStart Philippines will soon benefit unemployed youth in Catarman, Northern Samar.
In a press briefing here, DOLE Eastern Visayas regional director Yahya Centi confirmed that a team from the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) will visit local partners in Northern Samar on Thursday (Feb.20) to convene with the public employment service office manager for the assessment and evaluation of the labor market.
“They will be coming here to create employment. For now, we are targeting the first 50 beneficiaries, then 100,” he said.
JobStart Philippines aims to assist the school-to-work transition of young Filipinos by enhancing the knowledge and skills they acquired through formal education or technical training, so they will be work-ready, Centi said.
The program is significant in addressing the employment concerns in the region, helping employers meet their manpower needs, and mentoring unemployed youth to improve their job searches and outcomes, Centi added.
To qualify for the program, a JobStart trainee must be a Filipino citizen, 18-24 years old, and have reached at least high school level. The beneficiary must be out-of-school, jobless, and not undergoing training at the time of the registration.
In the region, the program was first implemented last year in Tacloban City with 100 JobStart trainees.
All have undergone life skills training (LST), some landed a job after completing the LST, 56 reached the technical training stage, and 33 finished the internship phase. They were also absorbed and employed by the partner establishment.
“This will increase the employability of youth through access to life and technical skills training responsive to the demands of the labor market,” Centi said.
The JobStart Philippines is an employment facilitation initiative of DOLE in partnership with the Asian Development Bank, and the Government of Canada. (PNA)
