DOLE Pushes Short-Term Courses

Students who want to get employment fast might want to consider getting short-term courses on food and beverage.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, in a statement, said students who were not able to enroll in tertiary education should consider looking into the short-term food and beverage (F&B) courses that are available in many technical-vocational schools in the country such as those for waiters and waitresses, baristas, bartenders, cooks, and kitchen helpers.

“In only a few months, or just even weeks, one could be already adequately equipped with skills required in some of the high-paying careers in the labor market if they take a short-term course such as food and beverage,” she said.

Baldoz said the demand for Filipino F&B front-liners “will be spurred by increases in population, household income, and leisure time that will allow people to dine out and take vacations more often.”

“With the very positive economic indicators that may stimulate businesses, an upturn in salary and compensation for workers in the F&B industry can also be expected in the next coming years,” she said.

At present, entry level salary for F&B workers ranges between R8,000 to R15,000 per month, and may even go up to R20,000 for those who have five-year work experience, or for those who had attained supervisory level positions.

In other countries, hourly compensation ranges from $3.51 to $7.65 in the United States (US), and AU$10.10 to AU$15.02 in Australia.

The basic pay excludes allowances, bonuses, overtime pay, and other benefits or incentives, such as customer service “tips.”

“Opportunities in the F&B industry are open, and are highly abundant for full-time and part-time employment. Thus, students can take on job as long they have skills and competencies required of them. That is to say good communication skills, orientation to teamwork, customer service skills, ability to multi-task, flexibility, and creativity,” Baldoz said.

But career advancement in the F&B industry, she said, depends on the worker’s training, work experience, and ability to perform more responsible and sophisticated tasks.

“A number of them may advance to supervisory or management positions, while others move to large-size hotels, clubs, and more elegant restaurants. Others, however, go into business or become instructors in culinary schools,” said Baldoz.

By LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO

mb.com.ph

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