SHS graduates get priority access to Labor Day job fairs via 'Green Lane'

Senior High School graduates were given priority access to Labor Day job fairs on Friday as the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) rolled out dedicated “Green Lanes” to help them secure jobs faster.

In a statement, DepEd said the special lanes were set up to give SHS graduates quicker access to employers by allowing them to skip long lines at participating Labor Day job fair sites nationwide.

The department said the initiative is meant to help SHS graduates transition more quickly from school to work and improve their access to immediate employment opportunities.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the program is designed to connect SHS graduates to jobs faster and help them begin earning sooner.

DOLE identified around 70 Labor Day job fair sites nationwide, mostly in malls, offering more than 230,000 job opportunities, according to DepEd.

To avail of the Green Lane, SHS graduates only need to present valid credentials such as a school ID and certificate of completion or graduation.

DepEd said the initiative builds on earlier government efforts to connect SHS graduates to employment, citing the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair in March where more than 1,400 SHS and Alternative Learning System graduates were hired on the spot.

The department also said over 5,900 graduates were provided free pre-employment documents, including birth certificates, NBI clearances, and police clearances, to help reduce job application costs.

“Sa pamamagitan ng Green Lane at pag-alis ng bayad sa dokumento, binabawasan natin ang pasanin ng mga magulang at binibigyan ang mga graduates ng pagkakataong agad na makatulong sa kani-kanilang mga tahanan,” Angara said.

(Through the Green Lane and the removal of document fees, we are easing the burden on parents and giving graduates the chance to immediately help support their households.)

DepEd added that the initiative forms part of efforts to help SHS graduates enter the workforce faster and reduce barriers to employment. —LDF, GMA News