Every year, thousands upon thousands of college graduates join the ranks of applicants who look for a job. Some of them will land their dream occupation, but most will end up settling for ill-suited employment opportunities that won’t make full use of both their talents and their educational training. Even worse, many won’t find work at all, either because the industries they’re targeting have limited openings or because their academic background isn’t good enough.
A big part of the problem is poor planning in high school, where countless students have no clear vision of what they want to do later in life. So they just enroll in a college course that all their closest friends are taking. And when they finally earn their degree, they’re lost. And even when they think they know what to do, the harsh realities of a competitive job market slap them out of their stupor. That’s when they’ll realize—four, five years too late, unfortunately—that their course didn’t really prepare them for anything.
If you’re a parent, you can prevent this from happening to your kids by guiding them through their indecision. Or, better yet, you can bring them to a school that will equip them with skills that have real-world value—a school that will even guarantee them a precious spot in the workforce of an important industry. And this is our cue to introduce the Toyota Motor Philippines School of Technology, or TMP Tech for short.
Located inside the Toyota Special Economic Zone in Santa Rosa, Laguna, TMP Tech is a nonstock, nonprofit educational institution owned by the Japanese automaker, whose aim is to “transform the Philippines into a human resource development hub to meet the needs of global Toyota.” If you think a car company will suck at putting up a school, check out these facilities.
At present, TMP Tech, which started operating in September 2013, offers a two-year automotive servicing course that covers TESDA’s national certification levels I to IV and includes Toyota-specific technical studies. As you read this, the tuition costs P46,000 per year, so that’s P92,000 for the complete course. If you think that’s expensive, let us tell you that the workshop facilities are top-notch and worth part of your retirement money.
But here’s the good news: TMP Tech actually grants scholarships and extends financial assistance to those who truly deserve it. Altruistic organizations like Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation (TMPF), Metrobank Foundation and Toyota Dealers Association help fund TMP Tech’s charitable mission to provide aid to disadvantaged students.
Of the seven batches TMP Tech has trained so far, a third of the students have received scholarships. That’s 231 world-class Filipino automotive technicians that didn’t have to pay for their education.
Those who believe they have a shot at a scholarship grant may contact TMPF at (02) 825-8888, local 8069.
Meanwhile, those who won’t qualify for a scholarship may avail of the school’s “study now, pay later” program. The same number above may be contacted if you wish to inquire about this.
The best thing about TMP Tech is that it promises to provide real jobs to its graduates. Toyota sells millions of vehicles around the world, and the number of technical hands required to service all these cars grows substantially each year. If a TMP Tech alumnus is lucky (and gifted, of course), he may even be hired by a Toyota service center overseas. The possibilities are endless.
Last October 25, TMP Tech graduated its fifth batch of students, producing 75 rookie technicians. In all, the school has already educated and trained 562 graduates, with two more batches of 213 students currently undergoing training.
You want your kids to be gainfully employed in the future? Why don’t you give TMP Tech a visit? If your young ones are into cars, you may even help them find their calling in life.
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