Fr. Pierre Tritz Institute – ERDA Tech students learn technical-vocational skills that help them land quality jobs and leave their mark in their respective industries.
The opening of a new school year is an exciting time, but not for all. In reality, many less privileged families in the Philippines are struggling hard just to have food on their table. Hence, sending children to school becomes less priority among these families, potentially passing the cycle of poverty from one generation to another.
Fortunately, there are several organizations in the country that are willing to serve the underserved, and one of these is Fr. Pierre Tritz Institute – ERDA Tech. A first-of-its-kind technical-vocational senior high school geared toward equipping students from low-income families with industry-standard knowledge and skills, Fr. Pierre Tritz Institute also continues to work to change the public’s perception of technical-vocational education (TVE) as a track for academically underperforming youth.
As firm believers in the transformative power of education, the school has been partnering with industry leaders for intensive year-long in-plant training (IPT) programs that give their young graduates an edge over their peers. This hands-on training with companies exposes students and helps them adapt to their future work environment, making them better prepared for employment immediately after graduation.
Founded by Fr. Pierre Tritz, SJ in 1994 and now on its 25th year of operation in Pandacan, Manila, the school has helped change the lives of thousands of low-income students from Manila through quality technical-vocational education scholarships and industry-standard training to help them land quality jobs and leave their mark in their respective industries. Showcasing the type of training and mentoring that their students go through, Fr. Pierre Tritz Institute opened its doors to the media for the first time.
“We feel that this immersive tour is a great opportunity for our friends in the media to get to see and experience first-hand what it’s like to be a technical-vocational student if only for a day,” said Fr. Pierre Tritz Institute – ERDA Tech Senior High School Principal, Peter Marc D. Magsalin.
“The basic skills demonstrated today are the same ones that we teach our kids within their first month at Fr. Tritz Institute and these lay the foundation for their further training in their chosen field—be it Machining or Electrical Installation and Maintenance.”
“We are also very thankful that although it is our last year in our Pandacan campus, we were able to accommodate the media and share with them the work that we have done so far, and will continue to do so when we move to our Batangas campus,” explained Magsalin. “With this big move, we hope to be able to assist more underprivileged youth build a better, more stable future.”