History

In October 1904, Manila Business School (MBS) was founded as a response to the demand for training personnel for the government service and to the call to provide skills vital for private business employment. The MBS was a part of a City School System under the superintendence of CA O'Reilley. It offered vocational-technical courses such as Typing, Bookkeeping, Stenography, and Telegraphy.

Four years afterward, since the great majority of its students came from the provinces, the MBS was made into an Insular (or national) school and accordingly renamed Philippine School of Commerce (PSC).  At first, the intermediate curriculum was prescribed in addition to subjects such as Typewriting, Bookkeeping, and Stenography.  Later on, a four-year secondary course in Commerce was offered in addition to the courses in Bookkeeping, Stenography, Typewriting, and Telegraphy. After a notable academic venture, the PSC offered in 1912 a one-year course in Stenography for high school graduates.  The course proved to be successful and popular because of its positive results.  Those who took the course got easily employed as stenographers and later as office managers.

In 1917, to keep in step with changing conditions, the PSC started revising its courses of study. Under the leadership of Acting Principal Luis F. Reyes, it continually raised its general requisites. To enable young people employed during the daytime to acquire further training, it opened night classes. These classes were discontinued in 1932 because of the government's retrenchment policy.

From then on, PSC continued producing technically skilled graduates and helped them get in better jobs. 

In 1951, from short courses and business programs, the PSC broadened its program offerings by including Teacher Training, Business Education, and Research.

After four years, the PSC doubled its aggressiveness in providing skilled workforce to different industries. Remarkably, students got hired even before graduation. After World War II, many alumni who owned businesses or held key positions in large-scale enterprises made vehement request for PSC undergraduates and alumni to fill up the vacant posts in their offices.

In 1962, President Nemesio E. Prudente commissioned Prof. Ramon Villena to organize the Philippine College of Commerce Placement Service Unit (PCC-PSU) and appointed him as the first Placement Officer.  Other members of PSU included Prof. Reynaldo Pascua, who was the Assistant Placement Officer and all-around psychometrician, secretary, and messenger.  Applicants were carefully screened in terms of mental ability, communication skills, and job competencies.  A pool of 20 to 30 students was trained for job referrals to different requesting companies.

After five years, Prof. Reynaldo V. Pascua was reappointed Placement Officer until 1967 when Prof. Guillermo Mangahas took over for a five-year term.  The Office was renamed Placement Bureau during the time of Prof. Arsenio Jose in 1972.

During the presidency of Dr. Isabelo T. Crisostomo, Prof. Adelaida Zamora became Chief of the Placement Bureau up to 1976. Prof. Ramon Villena once again served from 1976 to 1979.

When PCC was converted into the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) in 1978, the Placement Bureau was renamed Placement Office.

In 1979, during the time of Dr. Pablo T. Mateo, Prof. Helen T. Cuason was designated as Chief of Placement Office.  She initiated the Job Fair, which eventually became an annual event. Prof. Cuason also introduced the following placement programs:

1. 1980 - Employers transacted with PUP for direct hiring of PUP students.
2. 1984-1986 - Civil Service Examinations were administered to graduating students on campus.
3. Night session program was offered to deserving working students in the Day Sections.

Eight years after, Dr. Nemesio E. Prudente was reinstalled PUP President and Prof. Elizabeth Santos was designated as Chief.  She served up to 1992.  After Dr. Prudente’s term, Dr. Zenaida A. Olonan, as President, again designated Prof. Helen T. Cuason to head the Placement Office.

From June 1997 to December 1998, Dr. Milagros R. Morales was appointed as Chief after which Prof. Helen Cuason was reinstated in January 1998.  Prof. Helen Cuason stayed on as Chief of the Placement Office until August 2004.

In September 2004, Dr. Erlinda C. Garcia took over until September 2005.  She advocated the promotion of closer ties with different companies to provide better job opportunities for both alumni and students.  In January 2006, when Prof. Jesusa C. Malvar sat as Chief for a year, she authored the Vision/Mission of the University Placement Office (UPO) and improved the image of the office by making it acquire a corporate identity. 

In January to October 2007, Prof. Iris Rowena A. Bernardo took charge of the Office.  For a few months, she was able to initiate placement activities like a job fair and job referrals for students who wanted to establish careers in various reputable companies.

In October 2007, Prof. Ria Santos-Fajilago was appointed as Chief by President Dante G. Guevarra to continue the advocacy of the previous Placement heads. She prioritized the accessibility of Placement services to all stakeholders- PUP students and alumni, private companies, non-government and government organizations.  Also, Prof. Fajilago initiated research proposals on career services and other placement network-accessibility programs.

From University Placement Office (UPO) the Office became Career Development and Placement Office (CDPO). The Executive Committee approved the renaming of the office into CDPO with the intention of addressing global needs.  In October 2008, the position of Chief was upgraded to Director, hence, Prof. Fajilago was designated as Director. The two Faculty Assistants, Prof. Ireneo C. delas Armas, Jr. and Prof. Malaya Abadilla-Ygot who were previously tasked to handle Local and International Career Development and Placement units, respectively, became Chiefs of Local and International Career Development and Placement on March 17, 2009.

Today, CDPO focuses on the following thrusts in career development and placement services:

1. Research
2. Accessibility of Services
3. Quality Services
4. Linkages
5. Income-Generating Projects