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Ensuring long-term employability of youth in the Philippines

Web developer professional training for young people unable to access higher education

Since 2015, the Air Liquide Foundation has been supporting the Web developer professional training offered by Passerelles Numériques in the Philippines. This training program follows the trend of a growing digital sector and thus facilitates the professional integration of young people. More than 200 youth, 50% of whom being girls, are following the 2.5-year training in 2019.

Our support during the Covid-19 pandemic

Passerelles Numériques (PN) provides free accommodation for young people who are following their training. During the lockdown, 61 students living outside Cebu Island have been confined to the PN center with 6 volunteer PN staff members. The association covers the costs of basic necessities (food, medicines, etc.) as well as the costs of cleaning the centre and protection (masks, hydro-alcoholic gels, etc.). PN also supports the other 150 students: PN covers the cost of transport to return to their families before the lockdown and the internet/telephone packages to keep in touch and ensure the follow-up of the distance learning. The Air Liquide Foundation is working alongside PN to meet these exceptional costs.

Facing the sanitary crisis, PN training teams have demonstrated impressive agility and resilience to adjust and innovate in pedagogy. The San Carlos University (USC), with whom Passerelles Numériques is in partnership for the training, resumed the classes but only remotely. This change was a major obstacle for students who were used to having USC's computer labs and equipment at their disposal. To overcome the lack of equipment, Passerelles Numériques created a new computer lab in their centre. The Air Liquide Foundation covers the costs involved in its creation: IT & logistical equipment and a contribution to the salaries of the key people responsible for setting up up the new lab.

The Foundation pursue locally the "Covid-19 Initiative"

Training in line with the digital industry

The IT sector is booming in Cebu City, located on the island of Cebu. Passerelles Numériques is an association offering free training in digital professions to very underprivileged young people from remote and isolated communities. Training courses are in line with the market's requirements and ensure long-term employability. The association has partnerships with 150 local companies that have agreed to take students on internships or hire them.

Passerelles Numériques on Linkedin

Training in digital professions for underprivileged young people ©Passerelles Numériques 

Web developer specialty

Since 2015, Passerelles Numériques has been offering a training course specializing in web development in partnership with San Carlos University. The program, which lasts two years and a half, includes internships in partner companies, team projects, classes with experts, coaching for job hunting, etc. Students, trained on the latest equipment, acquire skills that are sought after by their future employers.

The first class in 2015 included 50 students who had completed high school. From September 2019, 208 students will follow the training program:

  • 60  third-year students (graduating in 2020)
  • 73 second-year students (graduating in 2021
  • 75 newly enrolled students (graduating in 2022)

Passerelles Numériques

The contribution of the Air Liquide Foundation in the Web developer training

With the support of the Air Liquide Foundation since 2015, Passerelles Numériques has been equipped with high-performance IT equipment, an interactive whiteboard, drones, mini educative computers and computer-to-build kits. To ensure a warm welcome to the students of the 2017 & 2019 cohorts, the Foundation makes it possible for the association to buy the furnitures needed to accommodate the youth, as well as educational materials.