The country’s business and the government of the United States of America have partnered to provide work-based training opportunities for unemployed and out-of-school youth “so that they can be gainfully employed at the soonest possible time.”
At a news conference in Quezon City, Philippine Business for Education chairperson Ramon del Rosario cited the significance of training the young people in fast-growing industries, wherein qualified ones shall have the chance to become full-time employees at the companies where they train.
He, along with Brian Levey, United States Agency for International Development’s Office of Education director, spearheaded the launch of the PBED recruitment drive for 500 youth from Quezon City and San Juan City.
The USAID and PBED also tapped the YouthWorks PH to offer a work-based training approach providing skills certificates while receiving training and financial support from partner-companies.
According to Karol Mark Yee, YouthWorks PH chief of party, there are one-million unemployed youths nationwide.
“We can train as many of them. But our hurdle is, finding them in the ground,” he said.
He said the group will soon hold other recruitment events from May to September in Makati City, Iloilo City, Cebu, Bohol, General Santos City, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.