An Analysis of Labor Markets for Higher Education Graduates of HEIs in the CALABARZON Region

This study sought to analyze the labor markets for higher education graduates of HEIs in the CALABARZON Region to determine employment prospects and employability of higher education graduates in the region and toprovide a clearer direction and guidance to future higher education students in their choiceof courses to enroll in college and in their career choice after graduation. This is a descriptive analytical study that utilized quantitative and qualitative procedures to assess the state of the labor markets for graduates of the specified higher education courses. Demand-based analysis (DBA) and econometric analysis were also done to estimate region-wide supply and demand to project the shortage or surplus of graduates. Archival research and document analysis were also done to gather relevant data for the study. The research universe was comprised ofselected agencies, private and government offices, business establishments, and higher education institutions in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (CALABARZON) or Region IV-A. Baseline data from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Regional Office IV-A and higher education institutions in the CALABARZON Region, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), and National Statistics Office (NSO), Philippine StatisticsAuthority, and Public Employment Service Office (PESO) were mainly utilized in the analysis. Findings revealed the growing populationof Business Administration and related courses graduates in the region. IT-related and Engineering and Technology also showed an increasing trend. Meanwhile, there is a dominance of manufacturing firms and educational institutions in the area that require technical and knowledge workers, respectively. Hence, there is a slight mismatch between the supply of graduates produced versus the available industries. This requires a more in-depth analysis on the labor market to repackage the courses and develop the required competencies among students who will enter the labor market. When analyzed across sex variable, a mismatch between the supply of female graduates versus the number of employed females is observable. This entails the need for HEIs to monitor the employability of graduates in general given the concept of outcomes based education and to review course offerings as well as curriculum.