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| Photo courtesy of affleap.com |
People are now very
much overwhelmed with the so called “in-demand” courses, especially students. They
tend to consider “in-demand” courses as the “best”. Why shouldn't they? They
will have local and international opportunities; they will be paid high salary,
and less chance to be unemployed. That’s what they've thought!
If you ask a typical Filipino
student if he/she wants to work abroad, he/she will immediately give you a
powerful smile and nod, signifies that he/she really want to work abroad. Why
not? Working abroad is like the key to the better future, it’s like making all
your unimaginable dreams possible to achieve or it’s simply your escape to emptiness
and a welcome to abundance.
There’s no argument
with the perseverance of every Filipino to uplift their lives. Who doesn't want
to? But every time labor authorities set an “in-demand” status for a certain
course/career, it will immediately generate high enrollees and high in manpower
supply, which could lead to a big trouble. As the demand decreases, the manpower
supplies increase, which is now one of the big reasons of ballooning
unemployment rate in the country. In addition to that, “in-demand” status can also
create a wrong notion even to the education providers (institution, colleges
and universities). They thought that since a certain course/career is
in-demand, qualifications can be set aside. For example, for HRM (Hotel and
Restaurant Management), schools are not strict when it comes to the
qualifications that the enrollees must have to ensure that an appropriate
career is realistic to achieve them. Although HRM as course has numerous field
to choose from such as; Food & Beverages (F&B)
Attendant – for those people who love to provide customer service though
serving food and beverages, Bartender – for those people
who love to mix alcoholic drinks, Chef or Cook – for those
people who love to cook/bake, Hotel Staffs (Front Office
Agent, Guest Service Officer) – For those people who are willing to offer
customer service through (Guest Service / Guest Relation). Assist guest upon
check in/out., Housekeeper (HK) –
chambermaid, Manager (F&B,HK,) –
willing to manage a certain restaurant or any related establishment.
An HRM can be
considered as one of the lightest 4-year career in the Philippines, but it
requires some demanding qualifications that sometimes many tend to forget or
sometimes ignore the fact that these qualifications are REALLY necessary, like
applicant must have an ideal height (at least 5’7 for male/ 5’4 female), above
average looks for hotel staff, and some other demanding qualifications.
In addition, Course/Job
Mismatch is the other reason why unemployment rate is severely increasing in
the country. Government and other labor agencies have no sufficient program
that could address or even alleviate the “job mismatch” rate. That’s why the
ballooning and ever increasing rate of unemployment in the country is not that
surprising anymore.
On the other hand, the government
alone cannot be held accountable for this issue; it is also us – who can make
something wonderful to lessen the unemployment rate in the country. As a
learner from the past experience, I myself would like to be of help to those
senior high school graduates to “Choose
what will make them happy, NOT what best considered by many!” Perhaps, this
is the great advice that I could provide them.
Not all “in-demand”
today is still in-demand tomorrow. Not all considered best by many is also best
for you. Learn to recognize your heart’s desire, otherwise you’ll be working
with regret and you’ll do your work unhappily – an experience that you would
wish not to encounter.
If you’re just
graduated last March or April and still undecided on the course that you really
want to pursue with. Please! Take time to think, meditate and pray. Ask
yourself as many times as you can. Know your capacity, know what particular
field you are best of and know what you really love to do. This will really
help you. Believe me! Taking course in college is not as simple as ABC, it’s
going to be a tough decision making, so make sure you got it right, otherwise
you will be remorseful at the end of the day. Although, you can still shift or
you can still change your mind at the middle. But remember time is gold, time
is running and it is truly precious. Once you missed something you’ll miss it
for the rest of your life.
This is the lesson in
life that I really take as mine. I really do! Because I’ve been there and still
on the process of shifting - every necessary thing that has to be shifted and
changed. A management graduate who failed to take time to think, meditate and
pray for the career that I really want to have. This was not an act of
ignorance or stupidity; maybe I was just so immature to handle decision making
effectively, I attached on the idea of “in-demand” and “Best” as other call it.
Now, I’m a full time virtual writer in one American - company based in Laguna. Am
I happy? Yes! I love this. I love to write rather than to be a food service
provider.
With that said, I hope
this will serve an anticipated call for you to Choose what makes you happy, NOT
what best for many!
