SM Group Offers Jobs to New Scholar Graduates

As if helping them through college isn’t enough, SM is going one step further by offering the fresh graduates of its scholarship program a bigger opportunity – jobs.

The new graduates, who took courses in accountancy, computer science, information technology, education, and various fields of engineering, have been invited to take part in an annual job fair exclusively for them on May 27, organized by SM Foundation and initiated by various HR departments of SM companies.  This activity precedes the annual Presentation of Graduates where SM Founder Henry Sy fetes the new graduates and their parents every year with recognition rites and dinner. The Presentation of Graduates will be held on May 27, 3:00 PM at the SMX Manila.

This year, 264 SM scholars graduated from various degree courses ranging from accounting to engineering.

Although they are not obligated to work for SM, they will be given an opportunity to do so.

The participating companies — SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), THE SM STORE, SM Food Retail, Shopping Center Management Corp., and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. – will offer positions for graduates of accountancy, computer science, information technology, education, computer engineering, electronics and communications engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering.

“As they chart their new careers, we wish all our scholar-graduates the best and are hopeful that the training they received as scholars will equip them with skills and values to take on any challenge they may face later in their chosen careers,” Carmen Linda Atayde, SM Foundation Executive Director for Education said.

“As far as SM is concerned, there are no strings attached. All our scholar-graduates are free to pursue any opportunity that comes along, including job offers from SM,” Mrs. Atayde said.

SM scholars receive full matriculation benefits and monthly stipends. They also get a chance to earn money during holidays and school breaks by working in SM malls which also serve as on-the-job training.

A voluntary act

John Peter Besina, an SM scholar who graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2008 from Asia Pacific College, has been working for the last seven years with SMIC’s Information Technology Department, now as an IT officer.

“I decided to join SM after graduation, realizing its strength in terms of reputation, scale, and brand. It was also my way of giving back or showing gratitude in accepting a job offer from the company that sponsored my college education. I knew I could seek out other opportunities even if I was in SM but I found myself staying for the last seven years,” he said.

Besina’s family hails from Makati and his parents were working as fish vendors at the Island Market along Kalayaan St. when he decided to try out for the scholarship program. Today, he supports his parents and has established a thriving career in IT as a systems, application and products support engineer.

“Working with SM inspires me to be a man of good values more than anything else. SM became a vital venue of hope to claim a brighter future for myself and my family. Being a former SM scholar helps a lot in enabling optimism which I presently hold not only in work but in life as well,” Besina said.

For Engr. Jeff Paolo Villanueva, an SM scholar and who works as a project engineer at SM Engineering and Design Development, SM Prime Holdings Inc. President Hans Sy was instrumental in his decision to remain with SM. Fresh out of graduation in 2012, Villanueva recounted that Mr. Sy asked him to work for SM after SM Foundation’s annual presentation ceremony.

“This act, together with the knowledge that SM is one of the top companies in Asia, has enlightened me that I might have a chance to be mentored by these successful businessmen someday. Also, the project line-up that was presented during my preliminary interview in SM EDD are bigger in terms of scope compared with other companies that interviewed me. This raised the bar in enticing me to accept a more challenging line in my budding career,” Villanueva said.

The SM College Scholarship program started with the vision of SM patriarch Henry Sy, Sr.—to send one child from a less fortunate family to college.  Including the new graduates, the SM Scholarship Program has produced over 2,160 graduates. Today, it supports 1,500 scholars in its 84 partner colleges and universities, nationwide.