BIGGER work and training opportunities await unemployed and out-of-school youth residing in San Jose del Monte as the city signed an agreement with YouthWorks PH on Labor Day.

The collaboration was formalized during an online launch on Saturday.

YouthWorks PH is a private sector-led initiative by the United States Agency for International Development and Philippine Business for Education.

San Jose Del Monte Mayor Arthur Robes and PBEd Executive Director and YouthWorks Chief of Party Love Basillote formalized the partnership of the city and its local industries to reach out to more youth in the area

Through the agreement, the city of San Jose del Monte will facilitate the implementation of YouthWorks PH’s Flexible Training for Work in their communities by recruiting qualified youth into the program and encouraging private sectors to provide training and training subsidies to youth trainees.

It also taps the assistance of the Public Employment Services Office to ensure employment opportunities after the trainees have successfully completed the program.

“While the private sector’s participation is important, we also value the key role our local government partners play, especially in locating and reaching more at-risk youth, and ensuring that there is critical policy support to ensure the project’s reach and sustainability,” said Dr. Thomas LeBlanc, director of USAID Philippines Office of Education.

“That is why we are very grateful to the leadership of the city of San Jose del Monte for strengthening our efforts to help the unemployed and out-of-school youth inside and outside Metro Manila.”

Figures show that 4 million Filipinos aged 15 and above lost their jobs due to the Covid19 pandemic at the beginning of the year.

For YouthWorks PH, the celebration of Labor Day marks the beginning of enjoining not only the private sector but also the local government  to provide opportunities to the youth even during this challenging time.

“This partnership will benefit all the unemployed and out-of-school youth in the city by giving them access to free online mentoring, technical-vocational learning, or on-the-job-training, and a possibility of employment in a major industry in their locality. This partnership will bring everyone together in investing in the youth and future workforce,” added Basillote.

Almost four years in its implementation, YouthWorks PH so far has reached 7,500 current beneficiaries and opened up more than 11,000 slots for unemployed and out-of-school youth.