ZAMBOANGA City is one of the seven areas in the Philippines that will benefit in the workforce development project of the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) and the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) for the out-of-school youth.
The project, known as the YouthWorks PH, was launched on Friday, June 1, by the Usaid and the PBEd in Makati City.
It is a five-year P1.7-billion workforce development project that will connect out-of-school youth with training and employment opportunities.
The other identified beneficiaries are the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos, Iloilo, Cebu, and the National Capital Region (NCR).
US Embassy Charge d’Afraires Micheal Klecheski said the partnership between the Usaid and PBEd will boost the capacities of young people who otherwise may not have the opportunity to pursue education, training, or a career, with an overall goal of helping youth realize their full potential while positively contributing to their communities.
Klecheski also noted that the Filipino youth “are the future leaders who will drive economic growth, democracy, and prosperity in this country.”
Usaid and PBEd, through YouthWorks PH, will engage Philippine government and private sector partners to provide youth with work-based training positions.
Universities and training institutions will complement these positions with classroom-based skills training and competency certifications.
Youth participants will also receive life skills training to prepare them for the workplace.
The project will train 4,100 youth and enhance the skill sets of at least 40,000 Filipino youth over five years, so that they better match with workforce needs.
“We at PBEd believe in the power we can harness from the unbounded reservoir of Filipino talent and potential. Through this partnership, we can elevate Filipino youth to greater heights of global competitiveness, industry relevance, and social responsiveness,” PBEd Chairperson Ramon del Rosario, Jr., said. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)