THE Philippine Business for Education partnered with Mandaue City to provide free digital skills training and employment opportunities under its workforce development program – Future Skills Now.

To formalize their partnership, the city government signed a memorandum of understanding with PBEd last February 23.

FSN is supported by JP Morgan Chase as part of their global effort to prepare young people for the jobs of the future. The program aims to bridge the skills gap in high-growth industries such as IT-BPO, analytics, finance, health, creative and digital sectors.

It seeks to equip underprivileged Filipino youth, aged 18 to 28, with essential digital and career skills through work-based training and mentorship by industry experts to enhance their competitiveness, making them work-ready for jobs in these fields.

The International Labour Organization previously reported that approximately 18 million jobs in the Philippines are at high risk of being automated by 2025.

“Upskilling and getting certified from accredited training programs gives young individuals a competitive edge in the labor market. By equipping them with in-demand digital and technical competencies, young individuals will be able to navigate and step foot in the professional world with more confidence and readiness,” said PBEd Executive Director Justine Raagas.

With Mandaue City as FSN’s first local government partner, the program is set to pilot in Mandaue City College, offering 150 slots in career and digital skills training programs, facilitated by FSN’s development partners, YGOAL and Eskwelabs.

The training includes topics on digital literacy, data analytics, and generative artificial intelligence.

FSN has also partnered with SOS Village, a global organization that helps underprivileged youths. FSN will be providing training to the youth cohort of SOS Children’s Village Cebu to help them secure meaningful employment opportunities.

Upon completion of the training, trainees will undergo a digital-related job internship with Foundever Cebu, a leading global customer experience provider and one of the project’s private sector partners, where they can put their acquired skills into practice.

“This is a promising opportunity not just for our Mandaue City College graduates, but the youth of Mandaue who will be assisted by our PESO. I see this collaboration, not just as simply providing basic education or skills training, but also providing greener pastures,” Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said during the MOU signing. “We’re fortunate to have PBEd as our partner in our goal of raising more productive citizens in Mandaue.”