DICT urges senior high entrants to pursue STEM

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is encouraging the senior high entrants to consider taking the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) strand to improve the innovation edge of the Philippines.

DICT undersecretary Monchito Ibrahim made this call during his visit in Cebu reiterating the need for the Philippines to produce more quality engineers and innovators.

According to Ibrahim, to move up from a largely voice-driven BPO industry, the Philippines should provide ample supply of developers, programmers, innovators to attract high value outsourcing jobs which also give attractive take-home pays.

Cebu for instance is now moving towards strengthening its appeal to the high value outsourcing or the KPO (knowledge process outsourcing).

KPO employers need highly-skilled manpower such as engineers, software programmers, analytics engineers, among others.

The STEM strand will help students to polish their skills in the innovation and creative side, which will not only give them promising future for employment, but also allows these students to start their own entrepreneurial journey in the digital economy.

According to Cebu IT-BPM Organization (CIB.O) managing director Wilfredo Sa-a Jr., Cebj will focus on expanding the higher value, high paying jobs.

Cebu has seen the tremendous growth of KPO firms operating in Cebu in the recent years. These firms and more are going to need people with good educational backgrounds on STEM.

One of the hurdles identified is the availability of good talents, who are not only articulate in English, but those professionals with higher value expertise such as programmers, creatives, innovators, among others.

Thus, it is important for industry players in Cebu to constantly work with the academe sector so that the ongoing mismatch with finally be given resolution.

By 2020, the IT-BPO sector in the Philippines to grow is seen to worth P12 trillion (US$ 250 billion) from Php 8 trillion (US$ 166 billion), spurred by the demand for outsourcing services projected to double up by the same year.

KPO or KPM type of outsourcing jobs pay a monthly salary of not less than P30,000, depending on the skills requirement of the company.