By MARK FRANCISCO
THE Sangguniang Kabataan federation in Cagayan de Oro City led by its chairperson Councilor John Michael Seno spearheaded a jobs fair primarily catering to out of school youth last July 12 at DRER Hall inside the main University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines campus here.
Along with the Sangguniang Kabataan, the jobs fair was also co-organized by the Oro Youth Development Office of the city government as well as the administration of USTP and United States Agency for International Development under the banner of the multi-stakeholder Out of School Youth Development Alliance.
The jobs fair is just one of the many programs of OYDO in close coordination with the Sangguniang Kabataan which has never been remiss in providing legislative support through Seno who assumed the SK chairmanship of the city since 2018.
Dozens of international and domestic employers were present in yesterday’s activity and as early as 9:00 a.m., a female applicant was the first to be hired by a local hotel. A dozen technical schools also provided support by offering skills training, among them Crossroads Training Institute, Jamaican F&B Training Center, to name a few.
The day-long jobs fair was timed as many senior high, vocational and tertiary educational institutions in the city just recently held their 2023 graduation ceremonies although Seno emphasized that the activity was primarily meant for out of school youth.
“Nakasabot ako ninyo kay ako gikan usab sa out of school youth,” Seno told the hundreds of applicants in attendance during the opening ceremony in the morning.
For his part, city administrator Roy Hilario Raagas told the out of school youth the value of learning and help themselves to be productive.
“Ang edukasyon ang pundasyon sa pag-uswag,” Raagas said.
Meanwhile, USTP director for extension and community relations Ma. Teresa Fajhardo said that USTP will open programs this August that would cater working individuals and out of school youth and she hopes that the concerned people would grab this opportunity, pointing out that high paying jobs require college diplomas.
####
