SM Foundation holds first Tech-Voc scholars General Assembly

More than 500 hopeful youth gathered together for the very first SM Foundation Technical-Vocational Scholarship General Assembly on Sunday at IMAX Cinema, Mall of Asia. This year, SM Foundation gave 1,000 technical-vocational scholarship grants nationwide, a big jump from its previous average of 100 a year. The assembly started with a blessing of a holy mass and a series of inspiritational talks from key officers of SM Foundation as well as the scholars themselves. The event culminated with a special 3D screening of Apocalypse at the SM IMAX Cinema.

SM Foundation sees technical-vocational education as an untapped opportunity to help the youth develop their skills, gain faster employment and help their families out of poverty. “Many children in this country are out of school with limited means to pursue their studies, more so find gainful employment,” said Linda Atayde, SM Foundation Executive Director for Education. “In the meantime, there is great demand for skilled workers in many places here and around the world.”

SM Foundation offers courses in food and beverage, automobile mechanic, fitter machinist, electro-mechanical technician and refrigeration and air-conditioning through its partner schools namely Don Bosco, Dualtech, MFI, Sisters of Mary Girlstown, Aihan, Punlaan and Monark.

“It is a good strategy that in just 15 months, the youth can work and help their families,” shared Fr. Jose Dindo S. Vitug, SDB, Director of Don Bosco Makati Technical Vocational Education Training Program. “Along with education is values formation. We mold them to become better persons in order to help society later on.”

The need to provide quality education in various formats not only remains to be important in the a national agenda but a global one as well. This is one of the focus contributions of SM Foundation in creating a better tomorrow by supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in providing quality education for all.