The Department of Labor and Employment said it is addressing the mismatch of jobs and skills to assist new graduates and young workers in gaining entry-level work experience.

DOLE said in a report that it has a partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in collaborating with the labor industry for the past two years in implementing the apprenticeship program, the Kasanayan at Hanapbuhay or KASH.

KASH aims to address labor mismatch and ensure the availability of qualified workers based on industry needs and requirements while assisting graduates and young workers meet the entry-level work experience which many firms usually require from applicants. The DOLE also welcomed the Japanese study which called for a government and industry collaboration in ensuring an even match between available workforce and the needs of the labor market.

He said the study would be an impetus to the DOLE's efforts in attracting the participation of more establishments in the KASH program.

The program serves as the bridging mechanism under which the new entrants to the labor market will be afforded the opportunity to acquire basic skills and the work experience, the DOLE said. TESDA records showed that 370 firms participated in the KASH program training of 31,032 apprentices from January to July this year.

The biggest number of apprentices was in the garments sector, 28 percent; wholesale and retail trading, 12 percent; processed food and beverages, 11 percent; automotive, 10 percent; electronics 9.0 percent; metals and engineering, eight percent; tourism, seven percent; and furniture and furnishing, seven percent, the DOLE report said.

In terms of occupations, the top ten trainees were as follows shop tailor, 26 percent; fish processor, nine percent; wire harness assembler, nine percent; electronic assembler, five percent; general clerk, sheet metal worker, and cabinet maker, four percent; salesperson, baker, and furniture maker, three percent.

Calabarzon had the biggest number of trainees at 32 percent followed by the National Capital Region, 25 percent; Zamboanga Peninsula, nine percent; Central Visayas, nine percent; and, Central Luzon, seven percent, the report added.*

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