SM: Job fairs helped 25K applicants find employment

SM Group, through its Job Opportunities Building Skills (J.O.B.S.) initiative, said Thursday it has helped thousands of job seekers find employment through hosting job affairs in its malls.

In a news release, the Sy family-led conglomerate said that, from July to September, SM Supermalls hosted more than 40 job fairs across the country, “helping more than 25,000 job seekers connect with employers.”

The company made the statement on the heels of Philippine Statistics Authority’s report that unemployed Filipinos rose to 2.38 million in July as millions of young individuals, who graduated from college or senior high school and entered the labor force, but did not land jobs during the period.

SM said that its malls’ hosting of job fairs could help in addressing the issue by providing a venue for companies and new graduates to connect and find the right fit.

The company said that its job fairs were conducted in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Public Employment Service Offices (PESO).

Through its J.O.B.S initiative, SM said it brings a wide range of industries in its malls-hosted job fairs, such as information technology, business process outsourcing, hospitality and tourism, retail, government services, and among others.

Meanwhile, SM announced the following job fairs scheduled for October:

• October 10 - SM City Davao
• October 10 - SM City Caloocan
• October 11 - SM City Grand Central
• October 11 - SM City Trece Martires
• October 11 - SM Center Pulilan
• October 11 - SM Center Las Piñas
• October 28 - SM City Puerto Princesa
—RF, GMA Integrated News