Fresh graduates in the country tend to lack "soft skills" and job readiness, and are highly vulnerable to scams, a recent report of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) showed.
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The CHR situation report looked into the situation of the youth in school-to-work transition, as well as their experiences in the context of the implementation of the K to 12 program, and COVID-19 pandemic.
It said the new graduates experience “culture shock” upon entering the workplace because “their expectations are different from what they were taught at school.”
It also showed that some failed to adjust to their work, adding that “they decided to resign but have a hard time being hired again.”
The top issues observed among the first two years of K to 12 graduates are related to communication skills, working as a team, and critical thinking, according to the report.
“Another employer participant comments that their company is particular on the soft skills of fresh graduates during their recruitment process, making them undergo a behavioral exam conducted by registered psychometricians from which they also based their interview questions because they have observed that technical skills are easier taught than soft skills or those related to empathy, creativity, resilience, and communication skills,” it stated.
“These issues are heightened and even augmented by the circumstances brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as working from home or losing one’s job and finding another one only when the market re-opens,” it added.
The report also said that newly graduates were vulnerable to being scammed and led by fake job postings as more online job posting platforms and websites have emerged.
“However, no one, including the government and its agencies, monitors and checks these online job platforms, making job seekers, especially first-time applicants and new graduates, vulnerable to being scammed and led by fake job postings,” the report said.
The CHR report said another concern of those who graduated during the pandemic was their lack of job readiness since all their on-the-job training was done online.
It added that since most of the skills they learned online could not be translated into actual practice.
The commission, citing an employer participant, also said that one of the top issues of employers in recruiting fresh graduates is not showing up for their scheduled interviews without prior notice.
On the other hand, newly graduates who are looking for jobs complained about not receiving any report regarding their application status from employers, the report said.
Recommendations
The CHR suggested that the national government, through the concerned agencies and state universities, must form partnerships with industries and private sectors so that students and graduates can be easily linked to job opportunities.
The commission said the government must work with institutions to provide proper training for the youth before entering the labor force, especially those who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It also recommended that additional financial or logistical support, from either the government or schools, can be given to students who are looking for work.
The CHR also advised the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education, universities, and colleges to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the K to 12 program and its first few years of implementation and consider the competency of faculty and resources.
It said that psychological and mental health programs for students and faculty must also be strengthened.
“Empower the youth with the ability to build competencies in life and work, particularly their soft skills such as communication, working with a team, and resilience, and provide them with more opportunities to be connected with the stakeholders in their current field of work,” the CHR said.
“Develop bridging programs for those whose on-the-job training has been done online to allow them to practice hands-on the skills they had learned before going to their places of work,” it said.
The commission also added that local government units should work with the DepEd and city development programming to keep track of learners after senior high school.
”Doon sa mga home, graduate na hindi face to face. Pero hindi mo masisi. It's only natural, common sense na pag nagpipili yung mga magha-hire ay pipiliin nila siyempre yung palagay nila basta most qualified. Eh sa order of priority, mahuhuli sila,” ECOP president Sergio Ortiz Luis said in Cedric Castillo’s “24 Oras” report on Wednesday.
(Those who graduated online and did not conduct face to face classes. But you can't blame them, it's only natural, it's common sense that when the employees are making a choice, they will of course choose the one they think are the most qualified. In order of priority, those who graduated online were those last in line.)
However, Management Association of the Philippines governor-in-charge Cielito Habito said that newly graduates need to persevere and take their own initiative.
“Young people can actually do it through their own initiatives by coming together as groups, as friends, and trying to in effect train themselves in these soft skills,” Habito said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
This article New grads lack ‘soft skills,’ vulnerable to scams —CHR report was originally published in GMA News Online.
You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now.
Commission on Human Rights building Commission on Human Rights thumbnail
The CHR situation report looked into the situation of the youth in school-to-work transition, as well as their experiences in the context of the implementation of the K to 12 program, and COVID-19 pandemic.
It said the new graduates experience “culture shock” upon entering the workplace because “their expectations are different from what they were taught at school.”
It also showed that some failed to adjust to their work, adding that “they decided to resign but have a hard time being hired again.”
The top issues observed among the first two years of K to 12 graduates are related to communication skills, working as a team, and critical thinking, according to the report.
“Another employer participant comments that their company is particular on the soft skills of fresh graduates during their recruitment process, making them undergo a behavioral exam conducted by registered psychometricians from which they also based their interview questions because they have observed that technical skills are easier taught than soft skills or those related to empathy, creativity, resilience, and communication skills,” it stated.
“These issues are heightened and even augmented by the circumstances brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as working from home or losing one’s job and finding another one only when the market re-opens,” it added.
The report also said that newly graduates were vulnerable to being scammed and led by fake job postings as more online job posting platforms and websites have emerged.
“However, no one, including the government and its agencies, monitors and checks these online job platforms, making job seekers, especially first-time applicants and new graduates, vulnerable to being scammed and led by fake job postings,” the report said.
The CHR report said another concern of those who graduated during the pandemic was their lack of job readiness since all their on-the-job training was done online.
It added that since most of the skills they learned online could not be translated into actual practice.
The commission, citing an employer participant, also said that one of the top issues of employers in recruiting fresh graduates is not showing up for their scheduled interviews without prior notice.
On the other hand, newly graduates who are looking for jobs complained about not receiving any report regarding their application status from employers, the report said.
Recommendations
The CHR suggested that the national government, through the concerned agencies and state universities, must form partnerships with industries and private sectors so that students and graduates can be easily linked to job opportunities.
The commission said the government must work with institutions to provide proper training for the youth before entering the labor force, especially those who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
It also recommended that additional financial or logistical support, from either the government or schools, can be given to students who are looking for work.
The CHR also advised the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education, universities, and colleges to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the K to 12 program and its first few years of implementation and consider the competency of faculty and resources.
It said that psychological and mental health programs for students and faculty must also be strengthened.
“Empower the youth with the ability to build competencies in life and work, particularly their soft skills such as communication, working with a team, and resilience, and provide them with more opportunities to be connected with the stakeholders in their current field of work,” the CHR said.
“Develop bridging programs for those whose on-the-job training has been done online to allow them to practice hands-on the skills they had learned before going to their places of work,” it said.
The commission also added that local government units should work with the DepEd and city development programming to keep track of learners after senior high school.
”Doon sa mga home, graduate na hindi face to face. Pero hindi mo masisi. It's only natural, common sense na pag nagpipili yung mga magha-hire ay pipiliin nila siyempre yung palagay nila basta most qualified. Eh sa order of priority, mahuhuli sila,” ECOP president Sergio Ortiz Luis said in Cedric Castillo’s “24 Oras” report on Wednesday.
(Those who graduated online and did not conduct face to face classes. But you can't blame them, it's only natural, it's common sense that when the employees are making a choice, they will of course choose the one they think are the most qualified. In order of priority, those who graduated online were those last in line.)
However, Management Association of the Philippines governor-in-charge Cielito Habito said that newly graduates need to persevere and take their own initiative.
“Young people can actually do it through their own initiatives by coming together as groups, as friends, and trying to in effect train themselves in these soft skills,” Habito said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
This article New grads lack ‘soft skills,’ vulnerable to scams —CHR report was originally published in GMA News Online.
