Pinoy skilled workers bank on APEC for better jobs abroad

Filipino skilled workers who want to make it abroad stand to benefit should the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) pass a cooperation agreement for trade in services, a report on "24 Oras" said Wednesday.
In her report, GMA News' Kara David said at present, Filipino skilled workers find it difficult to land a job abroad that befits their college courses and work experience in the Philippines.
"Especially sa Canada. Kahit nakapag-aral ka dito ng 10 years, or kung doktor ka dito, pagdating doon hindi ka magiging doctor agad," said Aileen Gaitan, who had to work as a service crew in Canada despite being an accountancy graduate and manager of a fastfood company in the Philippines.
Other skilled workers, especially engineers, face the same dilemma, the report said.
It said because the country's previous educational system lacked two years, foreign employers see Filipino professionals as underskilled workers who need to gain more experience to qualify for high positions.
"Sa trabaho marami pang ina-adjust, marami pang tinuturo sa empleyado para maka-adapt dun sa work na kailangan niya, lalo na sa engineering, pumapasok pa yung statistics, mathematics," said Bryan Baguian, a technical specialist in a semiconductor company.
The report said the government is aware of this problem.
"We can follow the demand in the market, but normally underskilled kasi yung license hindi recognized," said Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz. "Nakakatrabaho ka, but you cannot practice your profession."
All this will be addressed, the "24 Oras" report said, once the cooperation agreement for trade in services is approved.
It said the agreement would standardize the qualifications for all professionals and will make skills the focus of employment more than education.
The services sector will be part of this year's APEC Leaders' Meeting to be held in the Philippines on November 18 and 19, the report said.
The report noted that 50 percent of the country's gross domestic product come from the services sector. —KBK, GMA News

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