THE UNITED States Agency for International Development signed an agreement with the Department of Trade and Industry to enhance entrepreneurship training programs for Filipino out-of-school youth.

The DTI will integrate USAID’s Opportunity 2.0 Be Your Own Boss curriculum, an innovative approach that develops young people’s skills in business planning and management, as well as the mindset they need to become successful entrepreneurs.

The program will train youth in design thinking for entrepreneurship or adopting a business development approach that focuses on customer needs.

It will also include coaching and mentorship from USAID’s private sector partners.

USAID Philippines Acting Mission Director Sean Callahan said that it will help Filipinos to be knowledgeable on entrepreneurship.

“The Covid19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Filipino out-of-school youth, the number of whom has significantly increased since last year,” Callahan said.

“We have an urgent need to strengthen second-chance education and training systems that can help vulnerable out-of-school youth cope with the challenges created by the pandemic,” he added.