Bayan Academy, a social development organization, and global financial services giant J.P. Morgan are looking to help more Filipinos ‘update’ their skills during the pandemic.

In a statement, Bayan Academy said that even before the pandemic, it has already developed various online courses and programs, such as “Contact Center Services,” “Virtual Assistant,” and “Basic Programming.”

Right now, however, Bayan Academy could only accommodate a handful of students as the course delivery online is hands-on and trainers personally supervise the J.P. Morgan scholars.

“More schedules are in the pipeline,” the group said.  

Bayan Academy Chairman and President Eduardo A. Morato, Jr. said that there is an urgency to help the unemployed, the outplaced, or the retrenched workers who want to learn new skills or upgrade their knowledge at the comforts of their home in order to still find employment and opportunities in the pandemic.

For his part, Carlos Ma. G. Mendoza, senior country officer of J.P. Morgan Philippines, said his company’s partnership with Bayan Academy is part of ongoing efforts to help rebuild the country by investing in human capital and equipping workers with skills necessary for their long-term success in this new normal.”

When Bayan Academy launched the course, it was already flooded with applications from people from all walks of life, including stay-at-home moms, fresh grads, returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

“The courses at Bayan Academy equip the participants not only with technical tools, but also the necessary life skills through the self-mastery module. This was very essential, which became very useful as they sailed through the challenges of the pandemic,” said Morato.  

“We have also instilled in them the importance of entrepreneurship, which is part of the 21st century skills needed by the workforce of the future,” he added.