LABOR Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Dr. Patricia Licuanan on Friday signed an agreement to promote better and faster access to employment opportunities for jobseekers through the deployment of job search kiosk (JSK).
The signing took place at the CHED Auditorium on Carlos P Garcia Street on UP campus in Diliman, Quezon City, shortly before noon.
Under the memorandum of agreement, Baldoz said that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will provide labor market information (LMI) to facilitate employment and operate the JSK, a standalone labor- market information system capable of employment facilitation, like job search and skills-matching facility. Baldoz added that the DOLE has decided on the project to reach and enable jobseekers to get employed free of charges.
Licuanan, on the other hand, said that the CHED, as a part of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster, seeks to address the issue of job-skills mismatch and high incidence of youth unemployment by providing appropriate and knowledge on the realities of labor market to students and parents for more informed career decision.
Licuanan said the CHED supports the promotion of JSK as an effective employment strategy to allow free access to pertinent and reliable information on job vacancies, and trainings, as well as the DOLE employment programs. Both government agencies spelled out their respective responsibilities clearly.
The labor department is mandated to provide the CHED with 17 JSK for distribution nationwide, assign permanent and alternate JSK focal person for monitoring and provision of technical assistance to CHED personnel.
It will also coordinate with designated CHED personnel for the operation, maintenance and updates of contents of the JSK at agreed schedule, provide necessary training to the CHED personnel in operating and basic trouble shooting of the JSK; and regularly monitor the status of the deployed JSKs through SiteRemote monitoring system and the CHED personnel report.
CHED, on the other hand, will place JSKs at LMI corners established in identified state universities/colleges or CHED offices; provide conspicuous space with enough ventilation, with no exposition to direct sunlight, rain, flood or harsh weather; provide power supply and Internet connection for JSK for free; and provide access to the public who seek to use JSK.
The CHED will also identify a responsible person who shall act as liaison to DOLE JSK focal person in charge of operating and safekeeping of the JSK; report immediately to the DOLE any technical problem or damage to the JSK system.