If you know a nursing graduate in the Philippines in the last 3-4 years, you probably heard their stories. Unemployed, underemployed or paying an exorbitant amount to hospitals just so they can work as interns performing the job of a nurse. Really sad. Not long ago, nurses are in demand in the Philippines and especially abroad. Interesting how things have changed drastically.
I had the opportunity to speak with University Deans and Placement Officers last week. I learned that nursing classes have significantly shrunk. 4 years ago, one big University had 35 nursing sections. This year they have 4. And the story is very similar with other universities. According to them nursing as a course and as a global career is cyclical in nature. I guess we have to wait for the next cycle.
According to the university officials, the most popular courses in universities are:
1) HRM
2) PT, OT, Medical-related courses
3) Education
4) Business Administration
5) Engineering
6) IT Related courses
I am not surprised to see HRM as the most popular course. But I wonder if it is the most popular course that companies look for. I also know of several unemployed and underemployed HRM graduates out there.
Biggest surprise is Education. I am happy to know that Education is becoming a preferred course for students. According to the University Leads, teachers are becoming in demand abroad, especially in big countries like Australia and Canada. Not sure if this global demand is sustainable though. Very concerned that this may suffer the same consequences as nursing.
Another surprise is that IT-related courses are still not that popular among students. Considering the Philippine IT industry is raising the white flag that they need more resources. So there seems to be a huge gap between what the companies and industries want and the top courses in schools.
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