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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Economy devider New alliance forged to elevate skills, expand employment access

New alliance forged to elevate skills, expand employment access

Published May 11, 2025 09:30 pm

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the SM Foundation have formalized a partnership aimed at enhancing the skills of Filipino workers and expanding their access to employment. 

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed, solidifying a public-private collaboration focused on upskilling talents and creating meaningful job opportunities.

The initiative aligns with the SM Foundation's Job Opportunities Building Skills (J.O.B.S.) advocacy. The collaboration will focus on developing industry-relevant training standards and curricula, conducting skills training including Enterprise-Based Education and Training, and facilitating job matching through SM job fairs and other employment programs.

Under this partnership, TESDA learners and graduates will gain access to various career opportunities within the SM Group of Companies, spanning sectors such as construction, food and beverage, hospitality, and logistics.

Frederic C. DyBuncio, SM Investments Corp. president and chief executive officer, said, "We strongly believe that our continued growth as a business is deeply connected to the development of the people we serve and partner with. That’s why this partnership is important to us.” He added, "It is exactly through collaborations like this that we can help build and strengthen our future workforce."

TESDA Director General Secretary Jose Francisco "Kiko" Benitez, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to the SM Foundation and the SM Group of Companies for their commitment. 

"This partnership is for our future, current trainees, employers, and industry leaders," Secretary Benitez said. "May this endeavor bring us closer to a nation where every Filipino has the skills, tools, and opportunity to succeed. May this be the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership.”

The MOU was also signed by Carmen Linda Atayde, executive director for education at SM Foundation, and TESDA Deputy Director General for Technical-Vocational Education and Training Partnership and Community-Based TVET Nelly Dillera.

This agreement builds upon existing job matching and upskilling efforts by the SM Group. Notably, on Labor Day, May 1, SM Supermalls hosted 20 job fairs nationwide, connecting approximately 15,000 job seekers with around 1,000 employers, resulting in over 2,000 on-the-spot hires.

Additionally, the SM-affiliated Asia Pacific College is conducting upskilling sessions with the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines in areas like artificial intelligence (AI) fundamentals and business applications, as well as data analytics and AI maturity.

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Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) SM Foundation
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