March is ending and for many students, it’s graduation time. Those who are preparing to go to college are now thinking about what course to take. Young workers who are not satisfied with their current jobs are most probably looking at new prospects. It is the right time to be talking about careers.
In the past, Jobstreet and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) have released lists of high- paying jobs in the Philippines. If salary is one’s basis for choosing what career to embark on, then it would be helpful to do a quick review of some of the country’s most lucrative jobs.
For fresh graduates, it will be careers in travel and tourism, telecommunication, computer/information technology (hardware and software) and hotel/hospitality. For those who have one to four years’ working experience, good options are careers in oil and gas engineering, aircraft maintenance, information technology (IT) instrumentation and technical support.
Some months ago, the DOLE cited the latest study of the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), stating that jobs in the creative industries, mining, aviation, computer services, banking and finance, business-process outsourcing (BPO) and manufacturing are all good options for young workers. According to the DOLE, the BLE came up with the list “through the identification of median monthly basic pay and median monthly allowances of time-rate workers on full-time basis in nonagricultural establishments employing at least 20 persons in 65 industry groups within the country.” The salaries and jobs in the DOLE/BLE study, however, are not entry-level wages and occupations.
Art directors and geologists were on top of that list, specifying that art directors in the film industry were among those who are well paid. On the other hand, based on the 2016 report by JobStreet, the field of IT continued to provide the highest-paying jobs from entry level to the levels of junior and senior executives/managers. Jobs in this field include Web developer, software developer and systems administrator.
The BPO industry continued to provide the highest number of jobs for jobseekers, while the retail and manufacturing industries were also coming in next. This is followed by jobs in the property/real-estate industries, and then opportunities in the construction/building/engineering businesses.
It would serve our young people well to seriously study the advantages and disadvantages of the jobs and industries they are considering before making final decisions. Sometimes trends are present, and one needs wisdom and clarity of mind to see if a seemingly high-paying career can provide long-term advantages.
The government, non-governmental institutions, as well as private agencies, offer college scholarships, student loans, grants and other educational privileges. And for those who still cannot afford higher education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority offers technical-vocational courses, which require only a high-school diploma as a minimum requirement.
But, perhaps, the most significant consideration that a student/worker has to make is the prospective employee’s capabilities, skills and interests. It is always wise to match these against the job or industry to ensure longevity in the workplace. It is a good indication of whether the worker will enjoy the work, or will dedicate himself or herself fully to the job. When one loves his or her job, money and success will naturally follow.