DOLE opens gov’t internship to junior high school students

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has widened the reach of its Government Internship Program (GIP) by allowing junior high school students to take part for the first time.

Bureau of Local Employment officer-in-charge Assistant Secretary Patrick Patriwirawan said Thursday that the program, which previously catered only to senior high school, tech-voc, and college graduates, will now also accept junior high schoolers as interns.

Another major change, he added, is the extension of the internship period to as long as one year.

“As part of the program’s new features, we have extended the implementation for up to one year, and even junior high school students, who we did not include previously, are now covered,” Patriwirawan said in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

The GIP is designed to give young people a chance to gain practical work experience in various government agencies, helping them prepare for future careers in public service. To date, it has engaged 43,658 interns nationwide.

Patriwirawan said DOLE continues to work closely with other government agencies and local government units to provide more placements for youth participants.

Aside from the GIP, DOLE also continues to run the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), which provides temporary jobs to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced workers during school breaks.

This year, SPES has already benefited 87,588 young workers, and officials expect the figure to surpass 100,000 before yearend. Last year’s tally was 102,973 beneficiaries.

Currently, around 1,200 to 1,400 private companies are participating in SPES, which undergoes strict screening to ensure that only those from low-income families are accommodated.

Patriwirawan said DOLE is also lobbying for more budget support to expand both programs and reach more young Filipinos seeking opportunities.