The Department of Labor and Employment on Friday released the list of occupations that yield the highest monthly wage rates in the country over the last five years as it urged the youth to pursue courses which the labor market demands.
“I advice them to refrain from choosing courses based on what’s in vogue or fashionable, or, to use the popular social lingo of the youth, what’s ‘trending’ and popular,” said Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.
“Graduating high school students and the seniors following them should realize this early the significance of making wise and excellent career decisions. They themselves can help resolve the jobs and skills mismatch problem by pursuing courses and skills that would easily fit them into jobs or entrepreneurship opportunities in the labor market,” Baldoz added.
The labor chief noted that some courses may be less popular and less considered than others but pay the highest salaries.
Citing the latest study of the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE), Baldoz said that among the top 10 high-paying jobs in the Philippines are occupations in aviation, banking and finance, business process outsourcing, creative industries, cyber services, manufacturing and mining.
“An art director, for example, which is under creative industries, can receive a corresponding median salary of P69,286 a month, while a geologist’s salary is P64,889 a month on the average,” she said.
In the BLE list, an aircraft pilot, a navigator and a flight engineer can receive as high as P57,789 a month; mining engineer and metallurgical engineer, P55,638; and a computer programmer, P43,573.
The BLE report stated that the top 10 occupations have been determined through the identification of median monthly basic pay and median monthly allowances of time-rate workers on full-time basis in nonagricultural establishments employing at least 20 persons in 65 industry groups within the Philippines.
“The salaries identified, along with the occupations listed, are not entry-level wages. The compensation are obtained after years of work experience and after attaining some level of competency, as most employers in the identified industries would require. Also, occupants of these high-paying positions need to have bachelor’s degrees related to the field, at the very least,” the study said.
“As for other positions in cyber-services, business process outsourcing and manufacturing companies, college degree is not an essential requirement. Completion of high school diploma coupled with years of experience is sufficient,” the study added.
The BLE said the Filipino workforce today is composed of young, creative and dynamic people who can work from anywhere anytime and these qualities may be put into best use with a career as an art director or an aircraft pilot.
For those who may not be able to enroll in college, Baldoz urged students to look into technical-vocational courses that may lead to a career, for example, as general foreman or as call center representative. Such jobs, according to the BLE study, typically requires only a high school diploma as a minimum requirement.
For workers wanting to get such jobs, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) offers scholarship-based programs that range from three to six months training period in construction and contact center training, Baldoz said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer - February 9, 2013