Online job search website JobStreet launched “Job To Cart,” an online event that will make more than 73,000 career opportunities accessible to Filipino applicants via their website and Facebook page.
From July 26 to 30, in addition to shoutouts of jobs available on the platform, there will be chatbots that can guide jobseekers through the application process and live chat features allowing direct, on-the-spot communication with hirers.
As of this April, 4.14 million Filipinos are still looking for jobs because of the impact of the pandemic, according to JobStreet Philippines’ country manager Philip A. Gioca, who zeroed in on the word “languishing” as a descriptor for those struggling from the loss of income the past year and a half.
“However, we see that there’s a surge in jobs as we move forward, especially in the beginning of this year,” he added during the event’s press launch.
The five-day event will showcase thousands of available jobs in an organized manner, giving a different focus each day. The first day is dedicated to Luzon-based jobs; the second, Visayas-Mindanao jobs; the third, entry-level jobs; the fourth, overseas opportunities; and the final day, government support and services.
“JobStreet understands that moving forward can be a challenge this pandemic, so we want to make searching for a job feel like online shopping,” said Ryan C. Tordesillas, JobStreet’s senior sales manager for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
UPSKILLING
JobStreet also shared key findings on the Filipino workforce’s view on reskilling, upskilling, and digital learning from their 2021 Decoding Global Talent Survey released this May.
A majority of Filipinos (77%) are willing to be retrained for a different job as needed, with the number even higher for blue collar workers (82%), said Mr. Gioca. Meanwhile, traditional on-the-job training remains the preferred form of training at 70%, followed by self-study at 63%.
The report also featured jobs most and least at risk in terms of being affected by automation. JobStreet’s recommendation was for companies to expand the skills of workers in Customer Service, the Service Sector, and Administration and Secretariat, which are most at risk.
Mr. Gioca also maintained that learning new skills was relevant no matter what the sector or circumstance, saying, “We can see that automation has become a key factor in the workplace, so it is an advantage to learn digital skills regardless of your job role.”
On the expanding pool of vacancies, he added, “Large companies are now beginning to hire. SMEs are starting to pop up in different modes. Now, we are at 73,000 jobs, which means many more companies are accepting people because they’re trying to go back to business as usual.” — Bronte H. Lacsamana