Passerelles numériques Philippines reached a milestone this year when we celebrated our first decade. To commemorate this important event, different activities are being planned and organized for the students, alumni, staff and partners.
In an effort to expand its social mission, Passerelles numériques established its second centre in the Philippines in 2009 in Talamban, Cebu City with a pilot class of 25 students who joined the 3-year full-time training programme on Systems and Network Administration (SNA) in collaboration with the University of San Carlos (USC). The students took a leap of faith and left their families to begin their incredible journey as students of Passerelles numériques.
The Official PN Philippines 10th Year Anniversary Logo
Since then, our students undergo rigorous training, from professional life training to high-level of soft skills, as well as technical and practical training and social and educational development. Material support such as accommodation, necessary equipment, medical care, and financial support are also provided for. The students are also guided throughout their internships and job search and are closely supported by the organization’s programme partners. Within two months after finishing the programme, they are able to find employment in the IT industry in Cebu and Manila.
Over the past decade, PN Philippines has trained 402 competent and highly skilled IT graduates whose lives have been transformed, as have those of their families. In 2018 alone, the last class of 47 students which graduated in April now earns an average income of PHP 15,150 or $290—a 200% increase on their previous average household income of around PHP 5,000 or $95—before being selected by PN. Thirty percent (30%) of their income goes to their family as support for their daily needs, education, housing and other additional costs. Currently, 172 students are enrolled in the 2.5-year programme and 42 of them are expected to graduate on May 27th.
The pioneering students of PN Philippines during their graduation at the University of San Carlos in 2009.
To match the technical skills provided in the new education curriculum provided by the Philippine government, PN Philippines revised its curriculum in 2018. This reform aims to improve and align Filipino education with international standards, ensuring that students proceed to vocational training or university following grade 12, instead of grade 10. It also aims to guarantee the quality and timeliness of our training programme which is practical, targeted and certified. Currently, PNP provides a 2.5-year full-time training programme with specializations in Java Enterprise Programming, Front-end Development, and Automated Software Testing.
“Reaching a decade in the Philippines is a great milestone for Passerelles numériques. It is all thanks to our current and previous staffs who diligently and continually support our students to reach their dreams. PN is always grateful to our partners for their trust and confidence in our mission. Without them, we could not have reached this momentous achievement.”
Marice Jade ChuaOver the years, PN Philippines has built a large network of partners who have furthered our social action. Partners such as Accenture, Aboitiz, Knowles, Kyocera, Lear, iComm International, Timex, and 35 others have made the efforts of PN Philippines a success through training support. NGO partners and private companies such as Children’s Hour, EMPower, J.P. Morgan, Narrasoft, Ubisoft Philippines, and many others have supported PN Philippines financially and by awareness campaigns.
Anna Marie Ebonalo, one of our 2012 graduates, shares her story about how PN changed her life.
“I am forever indebted and grateful to PN. I was able to send my sister to college. She is now working at Accenture and has a brighter future ahead of her. I have two other siblings I am currently supporting and their future looks promising too. Little by little, I have achieved my dreams.”
Anna Marie EbonaloShe has been with Accenture for 7 years now performing various roles as an analyst and systems coordinator before being promoted to Service Management Analyst.
HIGHLIGHTS
- 2009, launch of the PN programme in the Philippines
- 2012, first graduation of the 25 students of our pilot class
- 2012, creation of the PN Philippines Alumni Association
- 2017, PN Philippines received a three-year accreditation from the Philippine Council for NGO Certification
To commemorate this momentous milestone for PN Philippines, a lot of events and activities are being organized for the students, alumni, and partners.
One of these was the intimate gathering organized last February 25th to officially open the year-long celebration. It was attended by the students, alumni, staff and board members of PN Philippines. The programme began with a brief message from the PN Philippines General Manager, Marice Jade Chua, thanking all those who were previously, and are now, part of PN while expressing her hope for the future of PN. The rest of the programme included dance and musical performances by representatives from each class. PN Philippines Foundation Inc. Board member, Atty. Geraldine Jorda, also graced the event with a short but profound message of encouragement, gratitude and warm wishes to the entire PN community.
The class of 2019 with General Manager for PN Philippines, Marice Jade Chua (left corner), and External Relations Manager for PN Philippines, Thessa Torre (center), during the pre-celebration of their 10th year anniversary.
A new video project was also launched on Facebook and Youtube called the Alumni Docuseries with several videos slated to be released in the next 7 months. It features selected alumni in an interview about their lives after PN. Its goal is to further the objectives of PN and to inspire the lives of current and aspiring PN students. Most importantly, it is to showcase the impact of the PN programme to the many lives that it has touched.
The PN Philippines staff is also currently all hands on deck in preparation for the upcoming graduation of class 2019 on May 27th, 2019. It will be the first time that the graduation will be held in an indoor venue instead of the usual outdoor basketball court in the University of San Carlos. The event will be attended by our partners who have been with us since the beginning to recognize their contribution in furthering our social actions.