Half a thousand students equipped with employability skills


A total of 500 students of Potia, Lamut, and Lagawe campuses participated in a two-day webinar themed “Enhancing Quality and Employability of IFSU Graduates,” organized by the Ifugao State University Career Development Center (ICDC) and Department of Students Services and Development (DSSD) on April 28-29, 2022.

The webinar is the first activity under the ICDC Services Program that aimed to orient and engage IFSU graduates in Work and Professional Ethics, Employee and Employers Rights, and Job-Hunting Techniques to advance their careers during this pandemic.

ICDC Director Ryan R. Tejada pointed out that one of CDC’s major services is the Internship and Traineeship Service (ITS), which provides training to improve the employability and career expansion of IFSU students.

“We want to give tips, the right approaches, and skills on how to manage job interviews,” added Tejada.

Moreover, ICDC Consultant Dr. Serafin L. Ngohayon shared how CDC can help shape the future of the students. He reiterated the importance of business knowledge and skills that can complement the acquired knowledge and technical skills taught inside the classroom to get employed easily.

On the other hand, University President Dr. Eva Marie Codamon-Dugyon encouraged the students to strive and persevere in finishing their courses and being employed right upon graduation despite pandemic challenges.

“Be part of the solution and not be a cause or a problem,” stressed Dr. Dugyon.

Anne Dominique M. Domingo, Co-Founder of Unleash Global Solutions, centered her topic on Work and Professional Ethics. She encouraged the participants to be effective and efficient workers.

Isabelita M. Codamon, Chief Labor and Employment Officer of the Department of Labor and Employment-Ifugao, discussed employers' and workers' rights to prevent abuses by those in power and ensure no violations between both parties.

Meanwhile, LinkedIn Career Coach Dennis De Silva talked about the importance of active interaction through the different social media platforms in looking for jobs, looking for prospect investors, and business and marketing promotion.

Gener C. Lucas, HR Assistant Manager of Graymont Philippines Inc., focused on the Skills and Interview Preparedness. He said that job seekers should be able to sell out their skills, knowledge, and strength on how to contribute to the company’s success and development.

Campus Executive Director Jocelyn T. Salviejo, in her Closing Remarks, highlighted the importance of coping with the pandemic by continuing to learn the new trends in applying for a job and getting the best job. She encouraged students to be more confident and competent in applying for a job even beyond the region.

Said activity is part of project INNOTAL, or “Integrating Talent Development into Innovation Ecosystems in Higher Education” which started in 2020. IFSU is one of the ten participating universities in this three-year project, co-funded by the European Union, and is being implemented in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme: Capacity Building in Higher Education to support training, youth, and sport.//