The Unilab Group has launched Unilab Education (UniEd), a new initiative aimed at tackling the country’s jobs-skills mismatch and producing job-ready graduates.
The launch event, “Building Career Pathways, Shaping the Workforce Together,” gathered more than 200 leaders from government, academe, and industry.
Unilab Group CEO and chairman Clinton Andrew Campos Hess said UniEd was designed as a collaborative ecosystem to align education with industry needs through programs such as microcredentials, reskilling and upskilling courses, and workplace-integrated training.
Former socioeconomic planning secretary Cielito Habito, who delivered the keynote, noted that college graduates make up the largest share of the unemployed at 38.2 percent. He stressed the importance of coordinated curriculum design and forward-looking workforce planning.
Education officials also outlined their efforts to bridge education and employment. Education Secretary Sonny Angara, TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez, and CHED chairperson Shirley Agrupis said closer collaboration has improved pathways and strengthened industry alignment.
UniEd president Jose Maria A. Ochave said the program will focus on five areas: industry certifications, microcredentialing, apprenticeships and on-the-job training, senior high school immersion, and continuing professional development.
Unilab, one of the country’s largest employers, said the initiative highlights its commitment to developing a skilled workforce that supports inclusive growth.
