Via Manila Bulletin Philippines There's good news and there's good news. But first, some not-so-good comparisons.
From 2001 to 2002, a total of 9,000 registered nurses were hired for overseas employment. Since 2003 those numbers have dwindled to 300 a year. This should be seen in the context of local nursing schools graduating 95,000 nurses last year.
In sum, there are today some 200,000 graduates who are not employed, at least not as nurses.
The good news is that the world still needs our nurses. Come Feb. 6, a group representing employers in the UK will be in Manila to interview 150 nurses and observe them for potential employment in UK hospitals, including the one named after Princess Alexandra.
The bad news is that even as our nurses are prized for their skills and caring ways, many of them flunk the tests for their inability to express themselves in English.
The good news is that nurses aren't the only ones being hired. According to a director of Jai-Kin Resources in Quezon City, oil and gas workers are in demand, too. They are cadet engineers trained in the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute - and if the news gets any better, it is that they command salaries of up to US$2,000, with free housing.
More good news. The nurses who will make it to the UK need not worry about placement or recruitment fees, salary deductions and other charges. They won't pay for their plane fare, and the work visa is free. In addition, assures Jai-Kin, their employer will take care of their overseas spending program for the first three months, before they take the UK board exam.
The bad news is that they must have two years hospital experience, on top of which the required score in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) must be 7 or better. Via Manila Bulletin Philippines http://ph.news.yahoo.com/mb/20100108/tph-nursing-a-dream-2d4f68f.html
