Tuesday, August 23, 2005
RP urged to send more IT workers to Japan
The Philippines should take advantage of the big shortage of information technology (IT) workers in Japan.
That’s what Shinichiro Kato of the Japan External Trade Organization (Jetro) Expert Service Abroad for Improving Business Environments said in an interview Sunday.
“Japan needs some 3,000 to 5,000 IT workers. Even the Japanese firms here in Cebu experience shortage of qualified IT professionals,” he said.
Kato noted that the country produces many IT graduates. “But the problem is they (graduates) don’t pass the qualifying exams,” he said.
Tie up
To address this problem, Kato said he would tie up with several educational institutions so they can agree on how they can work together.
Jetro gave a total of P4.5 million for the Philippine National IT Standards (Philnits) training facility in Cebu.
Philnits aims to establish internationally recognized and accepted standards, which will be used to determine the competence of IT engineers and professionals in the country.
After three years of conducting the program, Philnits has produced only 187 certified trainees.
“That number is quite small. We want to produce at least 400 certified IT professionals in the Philippines every year,” Kato told Sun.Star Cebu.
While Cebu has a high passing percentage, Kato said only a few consider taking the certification.
“Only professionals who are already hired by Japanese firms take the certification. We would encourage, however, fresh graduates and even students to take part in it and realize its advantage,” he added.
Accommodate
On the other hand, Kato said Cebu has to improve in terms of accommodating investors.
He revealed that a Japanese company wanted to put up a branch in Cebu but could not start yet because of the shortage of space.
“China creates a good impression because when they invite investors, they are ready to accommodate them with office space or buildings with telephone lines, Internet connection and all the basic needs the investors would look for,” he said.
Time is of the essence and investors would rather consider investing in other countries, he said. (ALC)
(August 23, 2005 issue)
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