At the 39th UP Alumni Council meeting on August 12, 2024, UP leaders and alumni underscored the urgency of strengthening ties between industry and academia to better prepare graduates for an evolving job market. With the theme 鈥淓levating Industry-Academe Partnership: Closing Ranks to Develop Future-Ready Graduates,鈥� the event featured keynotes and discussions on how to bridge the gap between academic training and industry demands.
Engr. Isidro 鈥淪id鈥� Consunji, CEO of D.M. Consunji Inc. and the 2024 UPAA Most Outstanding Alumnus, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the challenges posed by rapid technological changes and a volatile global environment. 鈥淭he labor market has transformed significantly, and we must go beyond traditional engagement models,鈥� Consunji said. He called for 鈥渁 different collaboration framework that is multifaceted, inventive, and immersive,鈥� suggesting initiatives like pop-up classrooms, mentorship programs, and faculty immersion in industries to help close the skills gap.
The UP Alumni Council serves as the advisory body to the U.P. Alumni Association (UPAA). It is composed of UP officials, regents, deans and directors of its various units, the UPAA Board of Directors and heads of UPAA chapters, UPAA alumni awardees, among others.
UP President Angelo Jimenez opened the event by highlighting the university鈥檚 commitment to adapting to new realities. 鈥淭he world is changing rapidly, and so must we,鈥� said Jimenez. 鈥淥ur role is not just to educate but to ensure that our graduates are prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s world. Strengthening our ties with industry is essential in achieving this.鈥�
Alumni Regent and UPAA President Robert Lester Aranton echoed these sentiments: 鈥淥ur graduates are among the brightest, but we cannot ignore the widening gap between what they learn and what the industry demands. It鈥檚 time for us to work hand-in-hand with industry leaders to create a more cohesive and responsive educational framework.鈥�
The panel, which consisted of UPAA alumni awardees from various fields, was moderated by journalist and fellow awardee Jose Roberto Alampay. PEZA Director General Tereso Panga emphasized the need for agility in academia-industry collaboration, stating, 鈥淯P is producing an overqualified workforce, but we must harness this by investing in relevant skills training programs and creating a comprehensive, reliable database for labor market analysis.鈥�
Dr. Candida P. Adalla, stressed the importance of ongoing dialogue with industries, particularly in agriculture. 鈥淲e have the brainpower at UP, but we鈥檙e not talking to each other enough. Active consultation is essential to maintain a relevant curriculum,鈥� she said. Meanwhile, Department of Labor and Employment Undersecretary Atty. Benedicto Ernesto R. Bitonio, Jr. advocated for a more collaborative approach to policy execution, while Dr. Jaime Z. Galvez Tan recommended regular industry-academia dialogues and faculty immersions to bridge existing gaps. Ms. Joanna Rose Laddaran surfaced the challenged faced by MSMEs, particularly on digitalization.
The forum concluded with the approval of a resolution urging legislative support for House Bill No. 7370, which seeks to establish a Tripartite Council to address employment challenges, including unemployment, underemployment, and the job-skills mismatch. The resolution also called for enhanced collaboration among government agencies, educational institutions, and industries to foster more effective knowledge transfer and curriculum development.
As the job market continues to evolve, the UP Alumni Association reaffirmed its commitment to creating and supporting mechanisms that promote active and reliable academe-industry partnerships, ensuring that UP graduates remain competitive and well-prepared for the future.
Watch the 2024 UPAA Homecoming and Awards Ceremony via the video below by TVUP.
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