The following is a summary of the salient provisions of various DOLE employment programs for learners, apprentices, students and at-risk youths. Although designed to develop occupational skills of the youth for better employment opportunities, these programs may address the needs of the employer for flexible labor and lower labor cost. It will also benefit employers in the long run because it fosters the creation of better-skilled and experienced employees.
I. JOBSTART PHILIPPINES PROGRAM (D.O. No. 148-16)
A. Description: An employment facilitation initiative of DOLE for the benefit of at-risk youth.
B. Who may be employed: At-risk youth, to wit:
b.1. Filipino citizen
b.2. 18-24 years old at the time of registration; 17 years old provided 18 years old at the time of technical training
b.3. High school graduate
b.4. Not employed, studying nor undergoing training
b.5. Less than 1 year work experience or none at all
C. Procedure:
c.1. DOLE will enter into Memorandum of Undertaking with LGUs
c.2. Registration of establishments as JobStart partners through PESO
c.3. JobStart trainees will take online skills assessment and undergo Life Skills Training (LST)
c.4. Matching by PESOs and establishments will interview the referred JobStart trainees and offer either confirmed internships or job placements
c.5. Establishments will formulate and submit training plans to the JobStart Unit
c.6. Training/internship or employment contracts
c.7. If training/internship only, the technical/vocational training shall not exceed 3 months
c.8. Allowance for the duration of the LST
c.9. Establishments will pay stipend not less than 75% of the minimum wage for the duration of the 3-month training/internship
D. Period of Employment: three (3) months only
E. Wage/Salary/Stipend: For Trainees – stipend not less than 75% of the minimum wage; For employees – minimum wage
II. SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENTS (SPES) (R.A. No. 7323 as amended by R.A. No. 9547)
A. Description: Employment facilitation service for poor but deserving students and out-of-school youth.
B. Who may be employed: Poor but deserving students, to wit:
b.1. Those whose parents’ combined income together with their own, if any, does not exceed the annual regional poverty threshold level for a family of 6 for the preceding year as determined by NEDA (based on ITR)
b.2. 15-25 years old
b.3. Students enrolled in secondary level shall only be employed during summer and/or Christmas vacations
b.4. Those enrolled in tertiary, vocational or technical education shall be employed at any time of the year
b.5. Student must have average passing grade in the last school year/term (certification from registrar or original class card)
b.6. Out-of-school youth must have good moral character (issued by barangay)
b.7. Any dependent of displaced or about to be displaced worker provided the above qualifications are met
C. Procedure:
c.1. Student/OSY shall apply in person at PESO and undergo preliminary interview and screening – fill up SPES Form 2
c.2. Employer will submit to PESO the Employer’s Pledge of Commitment (SPES Form 1), which shall contain the number of vacancies and qualification requirements, gender and age preference and number of SPES working days required
c.3. PESO matches the student/OSY with the employer (who must employ at least 10 workers)
c.4. Employer submits Terminal Report Form (SPES Form 7) to PESO not later than 5 working days after duration of employment, indicating number and names of students hired, their occupation and nature of work, inclusive of dates of employment, reflecting the number of days worked, wage rate and total salary or wage paid to student, and other pertinent information
D. Period of Employment:
d.1. Secondary Level – during summer and/or Christmas vacation only
Summer: 20-52 working days
Christmas: 10-15 working days
d.2. Tertiary/Technical-Vocational – any time of the year
20-52 working days in one year
*period is counted as part of probationary period should the student be employed by the establishment
E. Salary/Wage:
e.1. Employer – pay 60% of the minimum wage + applicable monetary benefits, cash to the student/OSY
e.2. Government – pay 40% in education voucher to the school
III. TESDA APPRENTICESHIP AND LEARNERSHIP PROGRAMS
A. Description: Apprenticeship and Learnership Programs for apprenticeable and non-apprenticeable occupations
B. Who may be employed: apprentices and learners
C. Procedure:
For apprenticeable programs:
c.1. Employer shall file an Application Letter with required documents (curriculum design/skills training outline; certification that number of apprentices to be hired shall not be more than 20% of the regular working force) to TESDA
c.2. Evaluation of application by TESDA
c.3. TESDA shall issue Certificate of Registration within 10 days from receipt of documents
For non-apprenticeable programs:
c.4. Employer shall file Application Letter with required documents (curriculum design/skills training outline; certification that number of apprentices to be hired shall not be more than 20% of the regular working force) to TESDA
c.5. Evaluation of application by TESDA
c.6. TESDA shall forward copy of the documents to Office of Apprenticeship through TESDA RO
c.7. TESDA shall issue Certification authorizing the enterprise to hire apprentices within 10 days
c.8. OA reviews documents and recommends to TESDA Board approval of the proposed occupation for inclusion in the list of apprenticeable occupations
c.9. OA shall update List of Approved Apprenticeable/Learnable Occupations
c.10. TESDA Provincial Office, upon receiving list from OA, shall prepare the Certificate of Registration and issue it to the enterprise within 5 days
D. Period of Employment:
d.1. Apprentice – 4-6 months (option to hire the apprentice prior to completion of the apprenticeship period)
d.2. Learner – not more than 3 months (obliged to hire the learner after the period)
E. Salary/Wage: 75% of the minimum wage + other benefits including OT pay
*apprentice can work overtime provided no regular workers are available to do the job
F. Other incentives for employer: If employer pays the apprentice the minimum wage, deduction from taxable income of 1/2 of the value of labor training expenses incurred for developing the productivity and efficiency of apprentices/learners, which shall not exceed 10% of the direct labor wage