Fresh grads find new opportunities at MB Job Fair
“Going beyond the limit” was what kept a group of fresh graduates going when they decided to try their luck in the two-day Manila Bulletin Job Fair held last July 25 and 26 at the SM Megamall, Megatrade Hall 3.
Around 50 companies offering thousands of job opportunities were waiting for jobseekers like Joshua Sarmiento, Kim Figueroa, Abigayle Recio, and Kyla Jacinto. This was the third leg of the Manila Bulletin Job Fair spearheaded by the Manila Bulletin, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The new graduates were among the 3,796 job seekers who attended the MB Job Fair last July. They were “thesis mates” in college, all graduates of Tourism Management at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
When asked what kind of jobs they wanted, the group was one in saying that they are “open to any kind of job as long as it is decent, can support our family and will make us grow.”
“We believe that we should not restrict ourselves and we need to go beyond our comfort zone,” Sarmiento said.
A week after the MB Job Fair, Sarmiento was contacted by a real estate company. He was hired and now works as a marketing associate.
“A job fair is really helpful for jobseekers. It serves as a gateway to opportunities. For me, patience and being open to possibilities are important if you are applying for a job,” Sarmiento added.
In an interview, Manila Bulletin Vice President for Advertising Arman Cabrera said he encouraged the job seekers to do something that would push them to go beyond their limits.
“The reality of finding a job can be a most stressful experience, most frustrating, and sometimes a confusing challenge in adult life, but we all go through that struggle. It is a matter of choosing an optimum approach on how we respond to it. We are capable of far more than we can ever imagine possible,” Cabrera said in an interview.
He said thousands of job seekers were hired in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, Information Technology, Insurance, Logistics, Construction, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Engineering, Food and Beverages, Pharmaceutical industries, and local and overseas manpower agencies.
Applicants were also given opportunities to inquire at the TESDA booth for them to be enrolled in TESDA training courses like Agricultural Crops Production, Refrigeration and Aircon Servicing, Welding and Plumbing.
“TESDA offers training to fresh graduates and to anyone, for them to gain knowledge and skills,” a TESDA officer told Manila Bulletin.
The organizers said that they expect to get the same number of applicants, or even exceed that number at the next job fair.
“It is heartening to know that our partners and exhibitors have partnered with us to achieve our individual goals, as well as our advocacy. We will continue to create events like this to address our nation’s need to create more jobs,” Cabrera said.