UMINGAN, Pangasinan — The provincial government of Pangasinan will now bring job placement opportunities to applicants in far-flung areas of the province through its “Job Fair on Wheels” launched here on Wednesday.
Provincial Employment and Services Officer Alex Ferrer, in an interview, said the customized air-conditioned bus for the project, which used to be a 56-seater bus of the provincial government, will go to remote areas as venue for job fairs.
“It can accommodate five employers simultaneously conducting interviews with applicants. It has tables and chairs, including the waiting area, as well as a sound system and also a comfort room,” Ferrer said.
During the launch, tents were set up outside the bus, where applicants could wait comfortably or avail of services of government agencies such as the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Philippine Health Insurance, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Social Security System, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Department of Trade and Industry.
Ferrer said the “Job Fair on Wheels” is a project of the provincial government in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment and the local government units (LGUs).
“The LGUs’ counterpart is to provide applicants; they will be the one to disseminate the information about the job fair to be conducted in their area, while we bring the employers,” he said.
Seven local employers and four overseas placement agencies joined the launching of the project here.
Ferrer noted that LGUs in the province can request for the Job Fair on Wheels in their localities. However, those from far-flung areas are their priority and are highly encouraged to make a request.
He disclosed that aside from the job fair, they have also urged the applicants to take advantage of the province’s Mobile Skills Training Project (MSTP) for electrical, carpentry, masonry and tile setting.
“We have also incorporated an information counter in the venue for those who want to apply for the free training from MSTP. We chose to offer these courses in preparation for President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program, and skilled workers are needed in the overseas market,” Ferrer said.
The 22-day training is free of charge and 25 participants are accommodated per batch, he added.
“We encourage the job seekers to avail of these projects of the provincial government as we are already bringing these services closer to them,” Ferrer added. (Hilda Austria/PNA)
