PBEd offers digital skills to youth
THE PHILIPPINE Business for Education (PBEd) forged fresh partnerships with the local governments of Samar province and the municipality of Arteche in Eastern Samar to bridge the youth’s technology skills gap, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.
Backed by the Citi Foundation, the JobsNext program was launched in these areas last year to train young Filipinos in digital skills that would help them adapt and contribute to a modern and environmentally sustainable workplace.
“Through the combined efforts and collaboration of the public and the private sector, the dream of empowering Filipino youth looking for employment has come true,” said Justine B. Raagas, PBEd executive director.
She noted that the program will be pursued for a second straight year after over 1,500 young participants were trained last year. This year, the program targets the upskilling of at least 1,000 in Eastern Samar and Samar provinces.
“At Citi, we have a long track record of using our resources and expertise to empower the communities we serve,” said Citi Philippines chief executive officer Paul Favila. “Through the efforts of Citi Foundation and Citi Philippines, we hope to continue to enable growth and economic progress in support of our Filipino youth.”
In a study released in May 2023, online job portal JobStreet said technology-based work remains in high demand among jobseekers in the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia, despite layoffs by tech companies.
The Philippines ranked 84th out of 134 economies in the 2023 Global Talent Competitiveness Index compiled by Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires in collaboration with the Descartes Insitute for the Future and Human Capital Leadership Institute.
“If we do not engage with the demands of digitization, we will be left behind,” Samar Governor Sharee Ann T. Tan-Delos Santos said. “I hope our youth will take advantage of this opportunity.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez