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| (L-R) Angelo Lahoz, Senior Vice President, Technological Institute of the Philippines; PhilipGioca, Country Manager, JobStreet.com Philippines; Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz, President,Technological Institute of the Philippines; Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa, Executive Director, Board ofInvestments; Tetsuya Yamada, Senor Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)Philippines. |
The local economy may be going through a
few rough patches but there are bright spots on the horizon. For
one, the Philippine automotive industry is slowly yet steadily
growing, currently producing 400,000 cars yearly versus 100,000 a
decade ago. Annual car sales in the country are also projected to
reach one million units by 2028. The increasing demand means the
industry will make more cars, requiring more quality engineers,
technicians, specialists, and other professionals within the decade.
With the Philippine automotive sector
becoming an employment hotspot, companies are partnering with the
public sector to raise awareness about the different opportunities
that jobhunters and educational institutions can maximize. Last
September 28, the Philippine Auto Industry-Academia Linkage (PAAL)
Congress was conducted by a coalition of four organizations –
JobStreet Philippines, Department of Trade and Industry-Board of
Investments (DTI-BOI), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),
and Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP). The
first-of-its-kind the country, the event connected schools and
training centers with automotive companies, bolstering collaboration
and cooperation towards future projects and programs that can benefit
more students, jobseekers, and businesses.
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| The 1 st Philippine Auto Industry-Academia Linkage (PAAL) Congress gets a head start on preparing the country’s future auto industry professionals and technology experts. |
Preparing
to meet higher demand
The coalition estimates that by 2028,
direct employment in the industry will grow by 700,000 to 1.17
million more jobs. Indirect employment will also increase, with many
new jobs expected to open in the production of car parts and
materials, automotive sales and maintenance, transport and storage,
and petroleum stations. For these prospects to be optimized, the
industry needs to address the limited knowledge and on-the-job
training opportunities in the different companies, processes, and
technical skills involved in the car production chain; human
resources’ difficulties in fielding and finding candidates with
suitable educational background; and the need for schools and
training centers to connect to a bigger and more beneficial network
of partners.
The PAAL Congress thus brought together
students, teachers, trainers, employers, engineers, and executives in
a series of learning and networking sessions. It aimed to help
participants better understand the industry as a whole – its
different players, demands, and standards; realize the career
potential and different opportunities opening up in the automotive
sector; and enable car companies to offer more input in schools’
curricula, thereby developing the right employee candidates in the
near future.
The different talks by field experts
offered an overview of the local industry, sharing its realities,
trends, potentials, job market needs, and future goals. Participants
also heard from practitioners in a panel discussion and asked
questions in a fruitful Q&A. Later in the day was the career and
product exhibition that showcased the various companies in the
automotive supply chain and the different job options. Resumes were
also submitted and same-day interviews were held.
“There are more than 100 companies in the
industry’s supply chain. With the expected growth in the sector,
there’s going to be a lot of recruitment activity within the near
future. Through the congress, the partnership has opened bigger
doors for dialogue and cooperation, which in turn will provide the
sector with valuable information and insights that can multiply
opportunities further. We at JobStreet Philippines have been
learning so much through this partnership, and we consider it a
pleasure to be able to use this knowledge to make the best-fitting
matches between even more employers and thousands of Filipino
jobseekers. This partnership has empowered all of us here to create
and seek even more growth prospects for more people,” says Philip
Gioca, Country Manager of JobStreet Philippines.
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| (L-R) Philip Gioca, Country Manager, JobStreet.com Philippines; Tetsuya Yamada, Senor Representative, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Philippines; Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa, Executive Director, Board of Investments; Marcelino Yu, Trustee, Philippine Die and Mold Association (PDMA); Rene Dela Cruz, Board of Trustee, PMDA; Engr. Jennifer Angeles David, Factory Manager, SIIX EMS Philippines; Engr. Almira Ruiz Comuyog, Quality Assurance Division Manager, DENSO Philippines Corporation; Sherwin Chan Nones, Head of Strategic Planning and Marketing, Integrated Micro-electronics Inc.; Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz; and Angelo Lahoz, President and Senior Vice President, respectively, of Technological Institute of the Philippines. |
More
plans in the future
As a post-event service and to ensure the
long-range impact of the event, feedback will be collected. Among
the success indicators are the number and quality of
industry-academia partnerships that were formed, job applications
facilitated, increased interest and engagement in auto industry
careers, and regular communication among the participants who
connected with each other. Summaries of the speeches and discussions,
tips and other learnings will also be shared online to reach more
people.
Gioca adds: “It’s key to monitor the
effect of this first congress to help us create better and more
effective career and learning experiences in the future. There is
unlimited potential in the technology-based skills and working
attitude of Filipinos and we will keep supporting them through
diverse programs. We have many more partnerships and activities
planned.”
Over 50 educational and training
institutions, 40 companies, and 800 individuals joined the congress,
which is also part of the Elaboration of Industrial Promotion Plans
using Value Chain Analysis project. The two-year pilot project
operated by JICA and DTI promotes the automotive industry through the
development and implementation of concrete policies and plans.
For
more information about JobStreet Philippines programs and events,
visit www.jobstreet.com.ph.
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