Gokongwei foundation opens scholarship program to new applicants

The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation (GBF) has opened applications for a free, one-year technical vocational certification course that promises to open huge employment opportunities.

“Iskolar ni Juan” offers a fully subsidized scholarship that covers tuition, transportation, school supplies, uniforms, accommodation and meals for underprivileged senior high school graduates and college undergraduates between 18 and 25 years old.

Scholars will stay at the GBF Technical Training Center in Calamba City, Laguna for a seven-month academic term, followed by a five-month on-the-job training at Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) plants.

At the end of the program, scholars will earn a TESDA National Certificate Level II (NC II) on either mechatronics servicing or instrumentation and control servicing, making them fit for employment as a production/machine operator or machine maintenance/instrumentation technician at URC.

Since 2014, Iskolar ni Juan has graduated  more than 400 scholars.

Those interested may submit their application through this link: https://bit.ly/iskolarnijuanonlineapplication.

“This partnership reaffirms the commitment of URC and GBF in providing the underprivileged youth with access to technical and vocational education, training, and employment opportunities so that they may be able to help themselves, their families and their communities,” said Grace Colet, GBF’s Executive Director.

Colet added that this program is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG 4) on Quality Education, stated as: “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.

GBF was established in 1992 by URC’s late founder John Gokongwei Jr. and his brothers Johnson, Henry and James, on the conviction that education is key to uplifting the lives of Filipinos.

Gokongwei had always believed that quality education, especially in the fields of the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics will enable the Philippines to compete in the world.

GBF’s first major project was establishing in 1999 the GBF Technical Training Center, a P150-million facility envisioned to be a world-class continuing school for engineers.