Page 27 - The Flame

Issues

Batch 2012 graduates: Where do we go from here?

By CARISSA R. CARAIG and CANDISSE ANNE LOUISSE G. AMORANTO
The country’s employment rate reached 38.5 million or 93.6 percent as indicated in the data of the National Statistics Office (NSO) last October 2011.
The figure posed a slight increase from October 2010’s 92.9 percent when employed Filipinos totaled to 36.5 million. Labor officials see the record as
“a continuous improvement in the quality of employment in the Philippines.”

However, as March 2012 nears, a question still looms on the mind of soon-to-be professionals: Will the graduating students of the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets)
feel this positive change in the country’s economy? Or will they be like the many fresh graduates who are suffering from unemployment?

unemployment records of Thomasian grad- they already had an eye for the career they have a job that is related in my field,” Pader
uates are yet to be prepared by the Office wanted to pursue in the future. said.
for Alumni Affairs, but Malicsi noted the “There was no waiting period for me. I
good feedbacks given to the work perfor- did a few freelance writing and styling gigs,” Career mismatch
mance of Thomasians. Journalism alumna Carolyn Hamilton said. Aside from unemployment issues, prob-
“We have just started to institutionalize Hamilton was one of the Artlets alumni lems concerning career mismatch also face
the preparation of data for those who are who immediately landed a job after gradu- fresh graduates. Some get themselves em-
employed and unemployed. As of now the ating. She started as a freelance model and ployed on a job different from the course
data is not yet available,” he said. later on landed a job in advertising. they took in college, while others realize
“I am always delighted to hear that “I remember sending out a few resumes that their passion lies in another field.
Thomasian graduates are favored and well- to the
liked because of their perseverance, dedica- companies “I am always delighted to hear that
tion, docility to learn, and humility. I believe I wanted to
these (attitudes) make Thomasians stand work with Thomasian graduates are favored and
out,” Malicsi said. like maga-
Adding to this, senior Political Science zines and well-liked because of their perseverance,
student Jester Ivan Ricafrente said that networks,” dedication, docility to learn, and humiiity.
Thomasians are endowed with various Hamilton
characteristics that help them overcome said. I believe these (attitudes) make
threats of unemployment. A f t e r Thomasians stand out,”
“Being a Thomasian gives us an edge her stint in
in employment opportunities because first the field of Office for Alumni Relations Director Michael Malicsi
and foremost, a Thomasian is endowed advertis-
with virtuous qualities like being compe- ing, Hamilton now works as a trainee news The same story goes for Communication
tent, compassionate, and committed indi- reporter for Solar News. Arts alumnus Arjelo Veneracion who en-
viduals,” he said. “Being part of the media has always tered as a Junior Bank Specialist in the Bank
“If there has been significant change or been my dream. I could say that getting in of the Philippine Islands (BPI).
‘improvement’ in job opportunities, it must to broadcast journalism is not easy. I just “It is a totally different one because I
be really felt by the people in the grass- got lucky and I am very thankful for it,” she entered a financial institution,” Veneracion
roots,” he added when asked about the said. said.
employment statistics released by the NSO. Just like Hamilton, Communication Arts His desire to tread a different path was
“Or else, statistics will remain as numbers alumna Katie Magno got employed only a brought by the seeming growth of career
and will not transform to tangible results.” month after graduation. opportunities in the banking industry.
Senior Journalism student Debbie Ting- “I worked as a Competitive Intelligence “As for fresh graduates, the starting of-
zon said she is willing to accept job offers Marketing Research Associate from April fer of BPI is bigger, not to mention their
in any field for practicality reasons, but she 2010 up to April 2011,” she said. quarterly bonus and great benefits,” Ven-
admitted that she prefers pursuing a job re- She resigned after a year to look for bet- eracion said.
lated to her course. ter opportunities, adding that she wanted Given these cases, it just shows that re-
Senior Behavioral Science student Pat- to enroll in graduate school. ality at times may be far from what statistics
rick Remo said otherwise and believed that However, not all Artlets alumni experi- show. Still, it is important to note that no
it is important to get a job related to the ence the same luck in finding a job. Some matter how unfortunate circumstances may
course one pursued in college. had to go through the eye of a needle just seem, success certainly comes to those who
“I want my first job experience to be an to put up a fair fight against other job hunt- painstakingly chase it.
application of the theories, laws, and con- ers. This is reiterated by Malicsi who remind-
cepts I learned from my four-year Bachelor Ara Pader, another Artlets alumna, had ed the graduating batch of students that
degree,” he said. to wait for three months before she got em- doing well in one’s job springs from show-
ployed. At present, she works as an English ing the right attitude.
Employed status as Second Language (ESL) Tutor at the Met- “Academic qualifications may land one
Unlike some fresh graduates who had a ro Korea International Language School. person a job, but it is the right attitude that
hard time finding a job, some Artlets alumni “Despite being employed, I am not satis- makes him sustain and improve his career,”
had no difficulties looking for a job since fied with my current work because I want to he said. F
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