Press Release
Smart Sets Up Telco Training Institute; TESDA Earmarks P1M Scholarship Commitment
[June 26, 2007/Manila] The texting capital of the world might soon become a premier training ground in the world of telecommunications.
Leading wireless services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) recently announced it was setting up the Smart Center for Resource Enhancement and Advanced Telecom Education (CREATE).
Smart CREATE is the first training institute in Asia that is dedicated to telecommunications, with the objective of developing highly skilled workers and professionals who can meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of the telco industry here and abroad.
“Smart CREATE is our response to government initiatives aimed at generating more employment opportunities here and abroad through advanced training in the telecommunications industry,” said Napoleon L. Nazareno, Smart President and CEO.
“We are expanding what we are already doing at SMART so that more will benefit from the training that we usually reserve for our own employees. The high demand for our engineers overseas shows that we are on the right track as far as training and developing personnel for the telco industry ,” said Annette V. Santiago, Smart human resources management and development group head and concurrent Center director.
“We are pleased with the cooperation and agreements reached with Smart CREATE. The Labor Department fully supports this model where the major industry player seeks the support of government and the academe to meet its manpower needs and requirements to give as many Filipinos a crack at more employment opportunities. After all, our job is to provide work for the most number of Filipinos,” said labor and employment secretary Arturo Brion.
During the unveiling of Smart CREATE, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director general, secretary Augusto Boboy Syjuco presented a certificate of scholarship commitment worth P1 million to enable interested technical and vocational students to pursue courses on telecommunications in the training institute. The grant came in very significantly during the world’s celebration of the migrant workers’ day.
“We in TESDA are ready to partner with the institute in achieving its mission of providing comprehensive, relevant and cutting-edge education, training and skills certification as well as promoting best practices in the telecom industry,” Syjuco said.
Smart CREATE will initially be housed at the Smart facilities in Parañaque City. Services cover people development, talent deployment and entrepreneurial empowerment.
Smart CREATE caters to new college graduates including those from partner schools under the Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP), associate graduates, employees of Smart’s telco partners, returning telco professionals, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) with Smart business packages and Smart employees.
Trainees under Smart CREATE will be equipped with the right skills and competencies to deliver high quality telco products and services. For new graduates, Smart CREATE will enhance their knowledge in ICT by exposing them to real and practical work situations that will help them build a successful career in the telco industry.
Returning telecoms professionals will the given the opportunity to retool and update their ICT skills. Other OFWs interested in dealerships on Smart products and services will also profit from courses that will provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to support their entrepreneurial ventures.
Smart CREATE is the latest initiative of Smart in the area of education and training. Aside from SWEEP, Smart has launched the Smart Schools Program among public schools nationwide. Under the Smart Schools Program, Smart provides public school teachers and students with broadband Internet connectivity, access to online content and teacher training. To date, there are 40 SWEEP schools and 100 Smart Schools partners nationwide.
