26 November 2014
A skills development program combined with entrepreneurship education being made available in poor communities in the country has been yielding high employment rate for its graduates.
This month, a fresh batch of graduates completed the training course and hopes are high that they would soon join the workforce as employees or their own boss.
Since it was piloted in Baseco in Tondo in 2010, the Entrepreneurship Education Program for Community Development has registered an average of 90 percent employment rate for its 395 beneficiaries.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Foundation conceptualized the program and implemented it tapping the assistance of Bayan Academy and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
On November 26, the new graduates were feted at the 4th Culminating Activity of the JPMC Entrepreneurship Education for Community Development Program held at Recruitment Hub, Net Plaza Building in Taguig City.
In his message to the graduates, TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva said the government and private institutions could never go wrong when they invest in the education of the youth.
“Our technical-vocational (tech-voc) programs are geared towards providing employment to our graduates. Combined with entrepreneurship modules, these programs could help produce technopreneneurs who could generate employment opportunities not only for themselves but even for their families and communities,” Villanueva said.
Villanueva thanked JPMorgan Chase & Co. for its commitment to promote skilled Filipinos for nation-building and for Bayan Academy’s innovation for infusing entrepreneurship modules in TESDA courses.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. Philippines executives headed by Mr. Robert Panlilio, senior country officer and Ms. Pixie Gutierrez, vice president and head of communications attended the event. Bayan Academy was represented by its chairman and president Dr. Eduardo A. Morato, Jr., Ms. Gina Lopez, chairperson of ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Ms. Marietta Goco, Bayan Academy Board of Trustee and Mr. Raul Manikan, executive director.
The technopreneurship program through private and public collaboration is a powerful formula in addressing unemployment in the country, he said.
He also acknowledged the partners and industry players who were responsible in ensuring the high employment rate of the graduates.
Of the 395 scholars, 80 are from Baseco, while the rest are from different cities of Metro Manila and provinces of Palawan, Victorias, Negros Occidental, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, Tagaytay, Cavite, Porac, Pampanga, and General Santos. The program has been expanded to other areas in the country with the support of TESDA and its regional and district offices.
JPMorgan, one of the world's leading financial services firm, started the program in 2010 aiming to advocate change and empower people in poor areas through holistic community development programs that ranged from education for children, livelihood assistance, and deployment of water towers, technical skills and entrepreneurship training.
It found a partner in Bayan Academy – a social development organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship and technical and livelihood skills training – to facilitate interventions for disengaged youth and adults in Baseco and to assist in creating pathways to employment opportunities.
The program has equipped beneficiaries with the necessary skills to apply for jobs and become successful individuals. Entrepreneurship modules were also developed for beneficiaries who opt to start their own enterprise.
Finally, the program has created a network of social capital consisting of partners who support the employment of graduates and advocate the effectiveness of the JPMorgan Chase & Co. Entrepreneurship Education Program for Community Development.
Bayan Academy and JPMC Foundation was able to forge partnership with TESDA in the selection of tech-voc institutions that have good record in providing quality training to their students. TESDA also assisted in the competency assessment of the graduates and awarded the TESDA National Certificate to the passers.
For 2015, JPMC Foundation and Bayan Academy together with TESDA, ERDA Foundation, Center for Community Transformation, ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Reyes Hair Cutters, Jing & Laica Salon, and many more partners will continue to bring the program to high need communities of Metro Manila and in areas affected by Haiyan.
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