MANILA, Philippines – Art directors, geologists and pilots are among the highest paid professionals in the country over the last 5 years, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Labor and Employment Sec. Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz bared the top 10 occupations that yield the highest monthly wage rates on Thursday, citing the latest study of the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE).
Baldoz said the high-paying jobs in the country are those occupations in creative industries, mining, aviation, computer services, banking and finance, business process outsourcing, and manufacturing. She said art directors "can receive a corresponding median salary of P69,286 a month, while a geologist's salary is P64,889 a month on the average."
The BLE said art directors in the film industry typically work with production designers and serve as the head of the art department. "He attends production meetings, oversees the film sets and special effects, supervises the production staff, and is responsible for allocating and maximizing the budget for the art department," the BLE said.
It added that depending on the qualifications and experience, art directors could earn a monthly salary of as much as P70,000, particularly those who work in big budget films.
Rounding up the list of high paying jobs are pilot, mining engineer, computer programmer, system analyst, production supervisor, actuarian, call center representative and statistician.
| Art director | P69,286 |
| Geologist | P64,889 |
| Aircraft pilot/ navigator/ flight engineer | P57,789 |
| Mining engineer/ metallurgical engineer | P55,638 |
| Computer programmer | P43,573 |
| Systems analyst/ systems designer | P42,112 |
| Production supervisor/ general foreman | P36,133 |
| Actuarian | P35,480 |
| Call center representative/ customer service associate | P35,424 |
| Statistician | P35,010 |
According to the BLE study, the top 10 jobs have been determined "through the identification of median monthly basic pay and median monthly allowances of time-rate workers on full-time basis in non-agricultural establishments employing at least 20 persons in 65 industry groups within the country."
Baldoz noted, however, that the salaries and jobs identified are not entry-level wages. "The compensation are obtained after years of work experience and after attaining some level of competency, as most employers in the identified industries would require. Also, occupants of these high-paying positions need to have bachelor’s degrees related to the field, at the very least," the study said.
Baldoz urged graduating high school students to pursue courses with a high demand, but to be wary of trends. "I also advice them to refrain from choosing courses based on what's in vogue or fashionable, or, to use the popular social lingo of the youth, what's ‘trending’ and popular. Just because a neighbor's son or daughter will take up this or that course does not mean you should follow suit," she said.
"Graduating high school students, and the seniors following them should realize this early the significance of making wise and excellent career decisions. They themselves can help resolve the jobs and skills mismatch problem by pursuing courses and skills that would easily fit them into jobs or entrepreneurship opportunities in the labor market," she added.
She noted that some jobs that pay the highest salaries may be less popular and less considered. "For example, students may opt to take computer science and technology-related courses for them to become computer programmers, or systems analysts, and systems designers. These careers involve writing specifications required in applications and using programming computer languages and development tools to design, build, test, implement, and support games and applications. Others may also attend short courses on technological developments and new software packages," she said.
Baldoz also urged students who cannot enroll in colleges and universities to consider taking up technical-vocational courses, which typically requires only a high school diploma as a minimum requirement. Currently, the Filipino workforce is composed of "young, creative, and dynamic people," the BLE said.
Source: ABS-CBN News
