ILOILO City — A widening gap between graduates’ qualifications and industry requirements has prompted Mayor Raisa Treñas to call for a review of school curricula and training programs to address job mismatch and strengthen Iloilo City’s workforce competitiveness.
Treñas warned that graduates taking jobs unrelated to their academic training could face limited career growth, while businesses struggle to recruit workers with the specialized skills they need.
“My take on that, kinahanglan wala sang job mismatch. Paano ka mag-grow sa isa ka lugar nga indi gani sa imo field?” Treñas said during the Iloilo Talent and Education Conference 2026 at District 21 Hotel Annex on October 29.
The mayor cited the case of a hospitality management graduate employed as an accounting clerk, illustrating how educational qualifications do not always match available employment opportunities.
“We really need to review our curricula, review our programs to align with the needs of our workforce and the businesses,” she stressed.
Treñas particularly raised concerns over recruitment difficulties in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, where some companies struggle to fill Tier 3 positions requiring advanced technical expertise and supervisory skills.
She said employers need qualified personnel capable of managing operations, handling complex responsibilities and training workers in Tier 1 and Tier 2 positions.
The shortage of applicants meeting these qualifications highlights the need for educational institutions to reassess their programs and equip graduates with competencies demanded by employers.
Treñas pushed for stronger collaboration among schools, businesses, industry groups and government agencies to identify skills gaps and develop more responsive education and training programs.
The conference gathered representatives from the academe, private sector and government to discuss workforce requirements and strategies for bridging the gap between education and employment.
The mayor emphasized that addressing job mismatch is essential not only to helping businesses secure qualified workers but also to ensuring graduates can pursue careers that fully utilize their education and skills./PN
