Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson signed a memorandum of agreement with Agro-Industrial Technology and Enterprise Center (AI-TEC), a project of Foundations for People Development Inc., represented by its chairman, Roberto Montelibano, and CITE Technical Institute Inc., with Dr. Rene Gayo, for chairman Jose Soberano III, at the Capitol in Bacolod City Dec. 18.
This is a pioneering program of Lacson, dubbed NOSP Livelihood and Skills Training Program, and funded under the Gender and Development (GAD) fund that will provide opportunities to marginalized and out-of-school youth to get a certification under the dual training system of CITE Technical Institute in Cebu City.
The goals of the program include helping Negrense families get out of poverty and live productive lives, and produce urgently needed high quality production technicians for the growing industries in the Visayas regions, as well as upskill the youth so that they will be able to get permanent jobs after the training.
Under the MOA, the provincial government will provide the allowances of the scholars for one year.
The scholars will study for two months at the CITE Technical School and will be deployed to different companies in Cebu for 10 months.
Scholars are expected to be absorbed by the company they are assigned to work. The average absorption rate in the companies is pegged at 90 percent.
The applicant must be an Alternative Learning System graduate, senior/high school graduate or college undergraduate, 18-25 years old, male or female, single or married, non-smoker, physically fit, and must pass the admission test.
Karen Dinsay, NOSPD head, said that this program will eventually change the course of life of the underprivileged youth because this program will give them skills they can use to earn a living and help their families.
She added that applicants may inquire about the program at the NOSPD office, call 4315892, or send queries at Facebook Page NOSP Applicants.
Provincial Administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said that this program under the Abanse Negrense, is aimed at bringing the provincial government to the grassroots because the administration of Lacson promotes inclusivity. He added that the PGNO will send 45 scholars to CITE after thorough screening by NOSPD this year.
Lacson said in a Capitol press release Dec. 19 that he is looking forward to working with CITE Technical Institute and AI-TEC because this program will give a second chance to the out-of-school youth to build something for their future. He added that he is very happy with this new program because this will surely impact the lives of the scholars positively in a short period of time. ||
