The job market can be tough, especially for fresh graduates still looking to make their way into the professional world. Thankfully, the Department of Labor and Employment has the Government Intern Program (GIP) to help “adulting newbies” get a head start on their employment journey.

Aiming to provide young workers with opportunities to actively participate in government agencies and pique their interest in taking up a career in the government service, the GIP engages their beneficiaries’ talents and skills and utilize them in the government’s mission of providing top-quality public service by assigning interns to different government agencies.

Testaments to the effectiveness of the program are Lady Mae Reluya-Barloso and Irish Ansigot, GIP interns who were assigned to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and took on two separate paths after their respective contracts ended.

“In my case, since Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and PIA are government partners, I was able to grab the spot for a writer and media content creator position under a contract of service.”

“Gamit gyud siya kay bisan pag dili applicable ang news ug journalism nga experience sa tanang trabaho kay gitudluan man gyud ko sa mga clerical ug admin work. Kana, naa man gyud na sa tanan (It’s very useful because even though news and journalism experience isn’t that sought after in other fields, I got to learn the ropes around clerical and administrative work, administrative work which is universal at any job),” Irish said.“Kulba baya, pero nice pud siya kay ma-push gyud ka outside your comfort zone and daghan ka’g makat-unan. Ma-realize nimo nga ‘ay, kaya raman diay’ (It’s nerve wracking, but it’s nice because you get forced outside your comfort zone, and you really learn a lot. You realize that ‘oh, it turns out I can do it).”

Irish is currently sending out applications for related jobs, confident in her beefed-up resume and experience.

How to apply for the program:

To qualify for the GIP, one must at least be a senior high school, college, or technical-vocational course graduate aged 18 to 30 years old with no work experience.

The applicant must submit the following documents to their nearest DOLE office:

·       Original copies of application letter addressed to DOLE Head of Office

·       Personal Data Sheet (PDS)

·       Photocopies of Transcript of Records (TOR) for college graduates

·       National Certificate (for Tech-Voc graduates)

·       Birth Certificate

·       Any government ID

The applicant will undergo a job interview, and once hired, they will be required to attend an orientation program and sign a contract.

A total of 108 interns were successfully accepted into the program, the majority of whom were engaged for 3–4 months. The timeline for the next recruitment cycle remains uncertain given the DOLE’s reliance on Central Office funding, but Senior Labor and Employment Office Karen Claire Grafia, GIP Focal Person of the Zamboanga del Norte Field Office, assures that a dedicated budget for the GIP has been secured for the current year. (RVC/EDT/PJF/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte)