DOLE to hold more ‘specialized’ job fairs

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is set to conduct more “specialized” job fairs, where applicants have a higher chance of getting hired.

Labor and Employment Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said they adopted the strategy to boost the effectiveness of the job fairs, which they regularly hold.

Compare to the DOLE’S regular job fairs, he said the “specialized” job fairs are catered to the needs of specific industry, sector or jobseeker.

“This will be part of our policy thrust and direction to maximize the results of job fairs being conducted to make it more organized and focused and ensure that majority if not all of those who will go to job fairs will be hired on the spot or be ‘near hires,’ which means being employed is almost a certainty,” Laguesma told the Businessmirror via SMS.

However, he said, the DOLE will still continue to hold traditional job fairs to cater to all sectors and industries.

The labor chief made the pronouncement as DOLE is set to conduct a “specialized” job fair with the Semiconductor & Electronics Indust ries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SEIPI) this week.

Over 1,400 vacancies are expected to be up for grabs at the event, which will be held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City from November 16 to 18.

The available vacancies include engineers, apprentice engineers, technicians, production supervisors, export supervisors, production operators, analysts, accountants.

Last September, DOLE also held another job fair together with the Department of Tourism (DOT) to help hotels fill up their vacancies.

Over 8,000 of the participants in the events were hired-on-the-spot or became near hires.

Laguesma said the placement rate in the said tourism-related job fair was higher compared to the regular jobs fairs held by DOLE.