MANILA, Philippines -- Nursing students who are still in the second year of their studies were urged by a recruitment expert to consider shifting to another course which may assure them of jobs upon their graduation.

Recruitment consultant Lito B. Soriano issued the call amid the rising number of unemployed licensed nurses estimated to reach 300,000 already this year.

Soriano said that those who are still in the early stages of their nursing course can still shift to take healthcare courses in their school which promise better chances in finding jobs.

“I am appealing to current Nursing students and even those unemployed nurses to shift to Radio logic and or Respiratory Technologists and technicians. Radiology tech graduates can easily be upgraded to technologist or technicians in Ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT scan, X-Ray, Mammography, monographers. Medical techonology graduates can easily find jobs as phlebotomists or med techs,” said Soriano.

Male nursing students, he said, should shift to “ECE, mechanical or civil engineering specializing in materials testing, planning and structural.”

Soriano, whose agency deploys healthcare workers to Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries, observed the severe lack of qualified medical technicians not only abroad but also in local hospitals.

“What is happening is that after working for two years in the local environment medical technicians find overseas jobs more fulfilling and better pay for their families,” he said.

Each year for the past five years the Professional Regulations Commission have given board exams twice a year to an average of 80,000 nurses each time and the passing rate has gone down from a high of 45 percent now down to 39 percent percent leaving more jobless nursing graduates aside from those who passed the board.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) is expecting some three million college enrollees this school year.

Based on the Summary of Tertiary Enrollment released by CHED, from 2,635,007 enrollees in 2010-2011, a total of 2,660,963 are expected to enroll in various discipline groups in 1,792 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) nationwide this June. These include enrollees in pre-baccalaureate, baccalaureate, post- baccalaureate, masters and doctorate programs.

CHEd Executive Director Atty. Julito Vitriolo said that the steady increase in enrollment despite annual tuition hike in private HEIs is due to the “mentality of Filipinos in getting college education.”

Vitriolo said that CHEd is expecting more enrollees because the increase in population and the number of high school graduates. “We’re expecting na mataas pa din ang enrollment this school year kasi ang mentality ng Filipino, kahit mataas ang tuition, gusto pa din mag-college. Hindi nila nare-realize na yung employment generators, hindi lang sa college at kakaunti lang diyan,” he said.

Data from CHEd showed that tertiary enrollment remains steady. “Hindi naman masyadong bumaba ang enrollment. Magkakaroon lang ng pagbabago kung saan mag-eenrol. Marami pa din ang mag-aaral sa college pero maghahanap sila ng mura or hindi nag-increase ng tuition.”