RESEARCH OFFICE EASES POTENTIAL IMPACT OF AGING WORKFORCE

The Research Office is conducting a series of capability building sessions to enhance the R & D capabilities of its existing junior faculty and staff and alleviate the imminent impact of personnel retirement.                 According to Dr. Maria Excelsis M. Orden, Research Director; the trainings were prioritized based on the needs assessment conducted by the Office in 2018.                 To recall, the manpower complement of the Research Office in August 2017 was composed of 16 faculty members (6 PhD and 10 MS degree holder), and some 35 non-academic staff with permanent, special order and contractual service status.                 However, Dr. Orden said, batches of 2-5 senior faculty and staff researchers of the University Research Office had been retiring since then, leaving the Office to date with only 10 faculty members (2 PhD, 7 MS, 1 BS degree holders), and around 30 non-academic staff with permanent, special order and contractual service status. She added that another batch of 3 faculty members and 1 staff will be retiring in 2020.                 As the senior researchers exit from the workplace, they certainly take them competencies (knowledge, experience, attitude, skill and practices) that are valuable to the organization. One of the ways to lessen this king of loss of institutional resource is through continuing education, Dr. Orden said.                 Among the priority trainings which were already completed are the following:  Laboratory Equipment / Apparatus Operation, Calibration and Use (May 31, 2019); Farm Machinery Operation and Land Preparation (June 25, 2019); Experiment Design and Layout (August 16, 2019);                 The other trainings to be conducted this year and in 2020 are as follows: Cultural Management Practices of Rice and Vegetables (October 25, 2019); Gathering of Data from Sample Plants (February 2020); Identification and Management of Beneficial and Harmful Insects (March 2020); Harvesting and Postharvest Practices of Rice and Vegetables (April 2020); and Research Highlights Writing and Webpage Content Development and Management (June 2020).                 The Research Office extends its sincere recognition to the University Gender and Development Office for funding all of trainings. All males and females assuming gender roles such as field laborer, research aide, laboratory aide, illustrator, administrative assistant, statistician, research assistant, study leader and project leader were given equal chances to level-up their respective careers but also for the welfare of the Research Office, and the whole university.                 Building the capability of the Office’s current personnel will be a continuing program of the Research Office.