Bridging the Academe/Industry Divide: A Suggested Framework Reaction Paper (Resource Person: Dr.

Teresa Solero) Right now the state of education here in the Philippines has a mismatch between the goals of the academe and the requirements of the industry. Most of our educational programs have the objective of cultivating academic knowledge and research; however, this does not always match with the requirements of employment or application outside in the field. As such, the completion of tertiary education is not necessarily sufficient for the education of all the skills needed in the workplace. Post-graduate education has a significant amount of importance to a potential employee, and this presentation addresses the different advantages that further education offers to all of us. The completion of only up to the secondary level of education provides only a low proficiency in the English language, and may prove hindering to future opportunities. Completion up to the tertiary education level provides much more knowledge, skills, and abilities; however this results in an employment mismatch, as some employers require training in a specific specialization or the acquisition of specific skills that are pertinent to that particular workplace. Undertaking post-graduate education is a great way to address these needs. More and more companies are demanding Masters and Doctorates to as specific field or profession. Undergoing postgraduate education is a process of refining academic skills and their application in research, thus requiring expertise in research methodology and investigative skills. These, in addition to the specialized knowledge gained during the academic program, will prove to be invaluable in the workplace and are a key part of developing our nations collective professionals and academics. The presentation recommended areas of improvement, such as improving the availability of such programs. For example, establishing more E-learning and Open Universities to provide

education to a larger population and make it easier for them to learn. The development of National and International Academic Cooperation Initiatives was also suggested to improve the educational system in our country. The suggested fields of research included ECCD (Early Childhood Care Development), to improve the education of young children as well as to promote knowledge and awareness for parents caring for those in their early childhood, focusing on things like nutrition, proper health care, the importance of education, and methods of parent education. Another is ALS (Alternative Learning Systems) which serves to address our problem of illiteracy, and also to give education to street children and those with special needs. Last is research into tertiary education, to improve the curriculum to suit the workplace, to add additional training, and to ensure a smoother transition from the academic field to a working environment. All of these things are valid and significant areas that can be improved in our educational system. We, as individuals and as educators, are responsible the development of future individuals, and because of this, we should also be part of contributing to the betterment of our educational system in the country, and the improvement of the quality of individuals resulting from that system.