In an effort to increase opportunities for youth employment in the country, the Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), together with its social development arm Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), has teamed up with the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop a training program under its workforce development initiative, YouthWorks PH.

JGF’s President Gisela Tiongson and Jollibee Foods Corporation Philippines’ Chief Human Resources Officer Ruth Angeles, together with the representatives from PBEd, USAID, and Primary Structures Educational Foundation, Inc. – School of Knowledge for Industrial Labor, and JFC business units, joined the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement and memorandum of understanding for the YouthWorks PH program last June 6.

Training for their future. Through the YouthWorks PH project, those who are considered NEET can soon undergo free senior crew skills training that will equip them with the right competencies and experience to secure a job in the food and beverage sector.

The program is geared towards making education and training more responsive to the needs of the economy by working with the government, various industries, and the academe to provide opportunities to youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET).

“Youth unemployment is at 11.2%, even while we experience a high number of vacancies in different industries. But we want to change this by bringing all our strengths together. Our partnership for the YouthWorks PH program is anchored on our shared commitment with JFC to support underprivileged youth to gain access to relevant education and eventually have an opportunity to improve their lives with gainful employment,” said JGF President Gisela Tiongson.

A joyful training

Start of the journey. The classroom training for the pilot batch of the Jollibee Group Foundation and YouthWorks PH Program officially commenced on July 1 in Cebu. The trainees will have two months of classroom training before starting their supervised industry learning in select Jollibee, Chowking, and Greenwich stores. 

Through the YouthWorks PH project, those who are considered NEET can soon undergo free senior crew skills training that will equip them with the right competencies and experience to secure a job in the food and beverage sector.

JFC will lead the program’s pilot batch, which will include 26 NEET youth in Cebu City. In addition to providing work-based training and pre-employment support to the participants in select Jollibee, Chowking, and Greenwich stores, JFC and JGF will also cover the participants’ training costs, training allowances, and accommodation.

“We are elated to see the pilot batch of 26 out-of-school youth in Cebu City jump-start this opportunity,” said Justine Raagas, PBEd Executive Director. “This project is a testament to what we can achieve when we break down silos and work together. When government, businesses, educators, and communities join forces, we can empower young people, unlock their potential, and build a brighter future for all.”

Sharing the joyful experience

JFC and JGF embarked on this initiative as part of its commitment to the community support focus area under its global sustainability agenda, Joy for Tomorrow.

The partnership came on the heels of the Company’s successful tie-up with various local governments to provide employment opportunities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and with the Department of Labor and Employment under the latter’s Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES). All these programs have the common goal of expanding employment opportunities for all Filipinos.

“In JFC, we Choose Joy, and part of a joyful experience is being able to create a positive influence on the lives of others,” said Angeles.

“We are looking forward to the successful pilot implementation of this initiative in JFC and hoping to replicate the initiative in other areas to be able to reach more youth,” she added.