- The ADB-supported Jobstart Philippines program has shifted its Life Skills training and apprenticeship activities to an online platform beginning in 2020 to support young Filipinos to find quality jobs and remain resilient amid the pandemic.
- The Jobstart modules were enhanced to include mental health skills, digital literacy, health and safety awareness, and women empowerment to equip young Filipinos with adequate skills to gain quality jobs in the new normal.
- ADB approved a $400 million loan in July 2021 to support the government’s efforts to provide employment for young Filipinos, including access to training and skills development through the Jobstart Philippines program.
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely hurt job opportunities for young people. It has also made it difficult for the government to continue its Jobstart Philippines program, which offers technical and life skills training for out-of-school and unemployed young Filipinos.
In 2020, the Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment saw the urgency to continue Jobstart training so young people can find jobs and remain resilient amid the pandemic. With funding support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), some aspects of the program were digitized, including the enlistment and processing of applications to the program. A Youth Employment Exchange website was also created to link private businesses with JobStart trainees for virtual engagement and technical training. The Life Skills Training program was improved and expanded to become an online course.
In July 2021, ADB approved a $400 million loan to support the government’s efforts to find employment for young Filipinos. With the help of ADB, Jobstart will continue to support young Filipinos improve their lives and forge a brighter future.
Transcript
Since 2014, the government’s JobStart Philippines program has been helping young Filipinos to find work through technical and life skills training, and paid internships with private sector employers.
More than 20,000 youth have taken the program, most of them women.
But the COVID-19 pandemic has severely hurt job opportunities for young people.
The pandemic also made it difficult for Public Employment Service Offices nationwide to perform JobStart activities.
Only Tagum City in southern Philippines pushed through with the program in 2020, enlisting 37 trainees.
Rogeneth Llanos, City Department Head, PESO Tagum:
The JobStart trainees were accommodated and provided with the opportunity to improve their competencies by engaging them in the real world environment in order for them to become employable.
The Department of Labor and Employment saw the urgency to continue JobStart training so young people can find jobs and remain resilient amid the pandemic.
With ADB funding, a chatbot for enlisting to JobStart and processing applications was launched in November 2020.
A Youth Employment Exchange website was created to link private businesses with JobStart trainees for virtual engagement and technical training.
The Life Skills Training program was improved and expanded to become an online course.
Mea Pagayon, 2021 JobStart Iloilo City:
It’s not easy to find a job, especially in this time of the pandemic.
So when I saw this program, I grabbed it.
The modules were enhanced to include mental health skills, digital literacy, health and safety awareness, and women empowerment.
Crystal Mae Dela Cruz, 2021 JobStart Manolo Fortich
In joining Jobstart, I am hoping to get a better idea of what to do and not do in an actual work environment. I also want to get a training certificate, especially since most companies now require work experience in recruitment.
Mea Pagayon, 2021 Jobstarter:
I hope they will be able to help more young people like me, those who have less opportunity, those who are less-privileged.
In July 2021, ADB approved a $400 million loan to support the government’s efforts to find employment for young Filipinos.
With the help of ADB, JobStart will continue to support young Filipinos improve their lives and forge a brighter future.
(Mea Pagayon, 2021 JobStarter):
I can say that I can now find a job with the help of this training.
