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ISP: Employment for local seafarers depleting

ERWIN P. NICAVERA
July 17, 2017

EMPLOYMENT opportunities for Filipino seafarers are depleting mainly due to the global shipping
market downturn.

Captain Gaudencio Morales, president of Integrated Seafarers of the Philippines (ISP), told SunStar
Bacolod that the decreasing deployment of seafarers started two years ago when many shipping
companies in Korea, Japan, China and Europe went bankrupt.

Morales said the oil crisis had affected much those in the offshore industry and container vessel
operations, which limited cargoes and resulted in many idle ships.

Citing the data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, he said that from about
406,000 in 2015, the total deployment of Filipino seafarers reduced to about 304,000 last year.

With this figure, the Philippines remains the number one supplier of seafarers in the world.

Visayas, including Negros Occidental, has remained to be the biggest supplier of seafarers in the country,
at more than 50 percent.

“We are producing more than 20,000 seafarer-graduates every year, but the availability of jobs is only
about 5,000 or 20 percent,” Morales said. “What will happen to the remaining 15,000 graduates, that is
still the problem that remains to be unsolved.”

In Negros Occidental, the National Reintegration Center for Overseas Filipino Workers (NRCO) noted
that unemployed seafarers venture into other jobs, mostly in business process outsourcing sector.

Aside from the global shipping market setback, the increasing cost of salaries is also contributing to the
depletion of employment demand for Filipino seafarers.

Morales pointed out that shipping companies, especially smaller ones, look for lower cost seafarers so
that their operation cost would also lower.

Other countries are also promoting aggressively their seafaring workforce thus, it might threaten that of
the Philippines, he said.
“Filipino seafarers are still the number one choice of the world market, but if other nations are also
stepping up their promotion measures, then we will surely have stiff competition," he added.

As one measure to limit the number of seafarer-graduates who can be employed, the government has
already enforced strict compliance on the quality of maritime schools.

From more than 100 schools nationwide, only 75 are currently offering maritime courses.

The ISP believed that there is also a need to further improve the quality of performance of local seafarers
as big companies would still invest on a more competitive workforce.

The organization also pointed out that the country needs to have local shipowners, which can be a long-
term solution to the pressing woes on employment for Filipino seafarers.

“We are the only country whose domestic maritime industry is underdeveloped. We can actually engage
in fishing and other maritime-related industries,” Morales said.

He also said that many Filipino seafarers wanted to be in the profession until they get old.

This is actually causing a problem to the industry as the younger generation cannot penetrate, he added.

Thus, the ISP is closely working with the NRCO for reintegration measures aimed at educating and
changing the mindset of Filipino seafarers making them understand that “walang forever sa pagbabarko
(there is no forever in seafaring).”

Recently, the ISP and NRCO launched the Business Plan Competition in Bacolod City which aims to
encourage and capacitate seafarers in venturing into entrepreneurship as business and livelihood.

Fresh graduates to join ranks of

unemployed
THE MANILA TIMES
MARCH 17, 2016

THE almost 700,000 college students who will graduate this year are
expected to swell the ranks of the unemployed since the government
will not be able to provide enough jobs for them all.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said 70,000 jobs
are up for grabs on PhilJobNet, the government’s job search and skills
matching portal.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz noted that the 70,000 job

opportunities only represent the top 10 vacancies posted as of the first
week of March.

“The DOLE has been doubling its efforts to engage more employers to
participate in job fairs, thus ensure that there would be sufficient
employment opportunities that jobseekers can choose from to fit their
qualifications,” Baldoz said.

She added that the vacancies are for call center agents, 26,646;
customer service assistants, 9,348; production or factory workers,
7,199; service crews, 6,007; sugarcane farmers, 5,000; sewers, 4,700;
credit and collection specialists, 4,000; electronic equipment
assemblers, 2,500; staff nurses, 2,395; and cashiers, 2,166.

he Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said there will be

692,602 fresh graduates in April.

Of this number, National capital Region (NCR or Metro Manila) has

the most number of graduates: 157,761.

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It is followed by Region IV-A with 74,644 graduates; Region III with
70,387; Region VII with 56,740; Region VI with 54,488; Region V
with 37,382; Region I with 32,873; Region X with 29,861; Region II
with 28,747; Region VIII with 25,454; Region XI with 23,701; CAR
with 22,364; Region XII with 20,879; Region IX with 20,045; Region
IV-B with 15,421; Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with
11,036; and Caraga with 10,819.
The top courses with most graduates are business administration and
related disciplines, education science and teacher training, IT-related
disciplines, engineering and technology courses, medical and allied
courses, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, service trades, natural science
courses and maritime, social and behavioral sciences.

But Alan Tanjusay, spokesman for the Trade Union Congress of the
Philippines (TUCP) and advocacy officer of the Associated Labor
Unions (ALU), said a big number of fresh graduates will be
unemployed because of job “mismatch.”

He added that the more than 600,000 new graduates will be added to
the ranks of 11 million unemployed Filipinos.

Tanjusay said job creation remains a big problem and this must be
decisively addressed.
Jose Sonny Matula, president of the Federation of Free Workers
(FFW), expressed serious doubts on the Aquino administration’s
capacity to solve the unemployment problem.

Matula, a veteran labor lawyer, said the FFW is hoping that the
country’s next leader would be able to address the problem.

How Should Deck Cadets and

Junior Engineers Tackle
Unemployment?
Shilavadra Bhattacharjee | In: Marine Careers | Last Updated on October 9, 2017

The contemporary state of affairs with respect to employment in the shipping industry is
a bit dodgy. Many reasons are currently responsible for lack of jobs among young deck
cadets and marine engineers. There are new vessels being built, new shipping
companies cropping up, maritime officers are still in demand, but then there are barely
any openings for fresh graduates in the maritime sector.

So where does all this leave current college students and recent graduates of the
maritime academies?

Whether in their first year or final year, deck cadets and junior marine engineers will
continuously be bothered by job placement woes. Worrisome discussions among
seniors and peers don’t help the unemployment situation either.

The harsh reality is that the abundance of entry level jobs in shipping has significantly
diminished and the number of companies visit the academy campuses have drastically
reduced. So naturally, for a young maritime professional looking out to board his first
vessel, things begin to seem a bit gloomy.

Nevertheless, it is quite obvious that there still are quite a good number of maritime jobs
up for grabs and with the huge number of deck cadets and junior marine engineers
scouring for them, the availability becomes subject to an extremely high level of
competition.

So how should an individual go about tackling this deficit in jobs, the competition that
comes with it, and avoid mistake while searching for jobs?

1. Embrace Positivity

Our surrounding environment is filled with information about the devastating

consequences that the unemployment in the shipping industry is having on deck cadets
and junior engineers. Unfortunately as a result, the motivation and desire to go forth
with a career in shipping dies a forced death as a result of unemployment.

It is extremely important for an individual to realize that employment in this sector has
not vaporized overnight. Times like these can be disorienting, resulting in an overall
dent in the confidence of one’s abilities and becoming evident in the job interviews.

It’s therefore necessary at such times to take a step back and stop worrying about
things beyond one’s own control and start evaluating the things that are. Having the
right attitude is of great importance. What a young maritime professional should worry
about is his employment, the massively important need to do some networking, and
basically treating the search for a job as a full time job itself!

2. Honing your skills

With the huge number of backlogs and fresh deck cadets and junior engineers flooding
the market, what is it that will set a certain maritime professional apart? When it comes
to the aspect of ’employability’, shipping companies aren’t just looking for high GPA
(Grade Point Average).

The need for an individual that can set himself apart from the rest is the trick of the trade
nowadays. Adding that extra pump to your CV by getting involved in constructive and
productive activities across a wide spectrum can be the deciding factor for an employer
for choosing between you and another candidate when it’s down to the last decision.

Think of it from the point of view that you’re the employer- Now who would be your
choice for a job, a deck cadet that has just been doing the rounds of various companies
regularly hoping to get selected or someone who’s done some voluntary work/paid
internship in his free time since graduation?

The idea is to sell yourself as a commodity to the employer and cater to the requirement
of a well rounded individual who’s willing to fulfill the criterion of employment. So, the
weight of the CV and the way of presenting oneself becomes a deciding factor in who
gets a job. Talking to seniors, working officers working on board and knowing the nature
of work, level of discipline and the knowledge necessary to supplement all the practical
work is the way to go. Taking up online maritime courses can also help in a great way to
tackle unemployment.

3. Continue to learn

The end of college shouldn’t be a prerogative to let those maritime books get covered in
dust! Interviews with shipping companies involve a lot of technical questions being
asked and therefore, it’s very important to keep the all the important things taught over
time intact. For example, going through the ROR book once in a while is a good idea.
And by this it is not implied to do rigorous study, but just brush through important topics
now and then.

It’s also advisable to finish all the courses required for a deck cadet or
junior engineer before sailing. It’s better not to leave any stone unturned for the
employer to point out, at least as far as its possible. Such involvement from a
prospective worker is a sign of a positive attitude for the employer and evidence that the
young maritime professional is ready with all the requirements to start sailing at the
earliest.

4. Focus on your goals

It is very important to set ones goals- be it short term or long term, especially while job
hunting. Some individuals prefer to quit sailing after working for a few years on ships.
Plan that out roughly by figuring out what is to be done to have a well paying job ashore.
Some fresh maritime professionals want to go for further education. For e.g. if you want
to do an MBA in shipping, find out how to one so.

Postgraduate study is a tedious affair and requires a lot of research and effort.
Choosing the right University, finishing statements of purpose etc should be planned out
well in advance to procure admission to a purposeful course of study in a renowned
institution. Scholarships can help in a big way and it is tough to get one, so an individual
looking for a scholarship has to prove he’s worthy and therefore work really hard
towards getting it.

For the majority of deck cadet and junior engineers for whom the Merchant Navy is the
focus, following the points mentioned above could aid in achieving the motive of having
a glossy career in the Merchant Navy.

5. Networking

This is probably the most important aspect of getting a job today in any kind of field.
Professional networking can get you in touch with the right people who can get you the
right job. Despite the fact that online maritime jobs portals have had a huge boom in the
past few years, conventional person to person connections have a far stronger impact
on employment.

Locating contacts of people through social networking portals such as Linkedin,

Facebook etc. or other platforms, which are somehow connected or have affiliations
with shipping companies, is the way to go.

Reaching out to those contacts through a phone call, or an email or any other manner
can help immensely in getting the foot in the door. Of course, when in the course of
personal interaction it is better to forget the result oriented approach and just converse,
drop the right questions at the right time.

Taking the business card or any other form of contact and following up on it is of
extreme importance since the candidate requires the job more than the employer needs
to give it. One ought to remember that it is important to keep selling and keep putting
out the image of an employable, worthy and deserving candidate. Networking is a form
of displaying people skills, which is of extreme importance in the shipping industry and a
great way to fight frustrations because of joblessness. Another way would be to be
around the hubs of shipping offices and introduce oneself to the right people around.

It is very important for a prospective deck cadet or junior engineer to realize that
aptitude and attitude are both key aspects in getting a job. Young maritime
professionals are still being hired and jobs are still available, the only difference is that it
has become a bit tougher than it used to be. In the free time available after graduation,
it is very important to build and evaluate the right CV and get in touch with as many
shipping companies as possible. Send that email to as many companies as possible,
but make sure there’s a worthy CV backing it up.

=foreign

Despite decreasing veteran

unemployment rate,
underemployment remains a
problem
Natalie Gross March 7, 2017
When Lance Calloway got out of the Marine Corps in 2015, he planned to
enroll in graduate school and find a job that would combine the business
management skills he'd learned in college with his four years of experience in
an artillery unit.

"I was thinking it was going to be very easy to slip back into the civilian
workforce, and there'd be plenty of jobs waiting for me and people would want
to snatch me up," said Calloway, 30. So while he studied for the entrance
exam and waited to hear back from hiring managers about potential job
opportunities, he took a job working for tips as an Outback Steakhouse
bartender.

He didn't expect to be there for a year and a half, eventually feeling like he'd
lost all purpose.

"I was used to being in positions in higher authority. Even as a second

lieutenant, I managed more commodities and people than the guy I called
boss at that time," he said.
Calloway's experience isn't unique. Despite a record-low annual
unemployment rate of 5.1 percent for post-9/11 veterans in 2016 and a
consistent drop from 12.1 percent since 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, experts say the data can paint a misleading picture of
veterans in the job market – many of whom, like Calloway, struggle with being
underemployed.

The Call of Duty Endowment, which funds 10 nonprofit organizations that help
to prepare veterans for the civilian job market, has seen a spike in the number
of veterans seeking job placement services, said the endowment's executive
director Dan Goldenberg. In 2016, more than 27,000 veterans were getting
help from grantees – a 23 percent growth over 2015.

"The biggest thing we see is this surge in 'Hey, yeah, I have a job. I'm just not
getting by. I'm working two jobs and I'm about to get evicted from my
apartment,'" said Goldenberg, a Navy veteran.

Post-9/11 veterans, who have historically higher unemployment rates than the
national average and veterans overall, represent the overwhelming majority
seeking personalized counseling at the Call of Duty Endowment's partner
organizations, Goldenberg said. One of them was Calloway, who began
meeting with Hire Heroes USA Veteran Transition Specialist Martin Ramirez
last year.

Besides sending him basic reminders to brush his teeth or look in the mirror
before a job interview, Hire Heroes USA helped Calloway realize that he
wasn't accurately communicating the skills he developed in the Marines and,
later, as a captain in the Reserves, on his resume, he said. In September,
Ramirez helped him land a position as a special projects coordinator at H&K
International in Dallas, where he now uses his military-learned operations
management skills on a daily basis.

A 2016 report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes

program, a separate organization from Hire Heroes USA, found that veterans
were ranked third on employers' list for priority recruitment, behind women
and candidates with advanced degrees. Ramirez pointed to recent veteran
hiring initiatives by Starbucks, Walmart, Goodyear, Amazon and other major
companies as contributing to the falling veteran unemployment rate, as well
as better overall communication and outreach between veterans and
employers. But he's not ready to call it a definite win.

"That's great and all, and that's a very, very noble initiative," Ramirez said
specifically of Starbucks' campaign to hire 10,000 veterans and military
spouses by 2018. "When it comes down to it they do hire them. Is it fulfilling
and something that utilizes (veterans') experience and their wealth of
knowledge? Sometimes it's not."

Hiring Our Heroes President Eric Eversole said that while the federal figures
are consistent with what he’s seen overall, the organization’s report found that
44 percent of veterans left their first job out of the military within the first year,
with many saying they left for better opportunities.

"I don’t see as many vets who are just quote unquote unemployed that we did
four or five years ago, but what I am seeing – an increase year over year the
number of veterans attending our events," he said.
From a business perspective, veterans have leadership skills and other
tremendous assets going for them, Eversole said, but they’ve not necessarily
been trained in how to translate those skills into the job market.
"A lot of these young service members, they don’t know what they don’t know
about corporate America," Eversole said.