IFSU Career Dev't Hub stakeholders meet to improve graduates’ employability


With the theme, “Towards a united multi-stakeholder action to improve the employability of graduates," the Ifugao State University Career Development Center (ICDC) organized the Integrating Talent Development into Innovation Ecosystems in Higher Education (INNOTAL) Stakeholders’ Consultation Meeting via Zoom on October 6, 2021.

Attended by the INNOTAL Project Coordinator, a representative from a partner university, expert mentors, IFSU Officials, faculty members, and students, the event served as an introduction to the

objectives and gains of the INNOTAL Project shared by Dr. Gergana Cisarova-Dimitrova, INNOTAL Project Coordinator.

Steve Pollard, Senior Lecturer from Ulster University, also provided the interventions that improved the graduates’ employability in the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Dr. Serafin L. Ngohayon, INNOTAL researcher and ICDC consultant, presented the strategies developed by the ICDC to increase IFSU graduates’ employability through its three

major services – the Talent Co-Creation Lab (TCCL), the Internship and Traineeship Service (ITS), and the Student-Community Volunteering Service (SCVS). He further revealed the plans

and activities of the Center which include the expansion of curricular programs, the conduct of regular trainings on relevant topics that will hone graduates’ business skills, and many more.

“Together, we can produce graduates’ that will create employment for themselves and others and not compete with the already saturated labor market,” he concluded.

Christine Joy Manzano, a participant of the Students’ Business Idea Competition, talked about her experience and came up with

suggestions that can be used as a basis to better prepare students in such contests. This was followed by Mr. Ricardo Marcelo, the adviser of the All-in-Tech group.

On the other, Engr. Eric Jude S. Soliman, CEO of Hytec Power Group of Companies, delivered his talk on Crafting and Implementing Business Start-up for Fresh Graduates. In light of the ongoing virus outbreak, he shared a list of pandemic-proof business ideas in the Philippines and how to pandemic-proof such business.

Noemi Liangco, CEO of McDonald’s Santiago

Branch and Amancio Farm and Chain of Hotels rekindled enthusiasm in hosting On-The-Job Training (OJT) of students towards effective partnership arrangement. The event ended on a high note with more collaborations and activities springing up.