The Need
The Philippines’ tourism industry holds enormous promise as a driver of economic growth and employment, yet many Filipino youth, particularly those from public schools and universities, lack the career readiness skills and industry exposure needed to access opportunities within it. Students in public tertiary institutions in Metro Manila often graduate without practical knowledge of workplace expectations, technical skills, or pathways into competitive sectors like travel and tourism. This gap between education and employment leaves thousands of young Filipinos underequipped for the world of work, while industries like tourism struggle to find well-prepared, passionate young talent. Without deliberate intervention, this disconnect risks deepening inequality and leaving an entire generation of potential trailblazers behind.
The Intervention
To bridge this gap, VFS Global and ASSIST launched the Trailblazers in Tourism: VFS Global Youth Excellence Program. The program deploys ASSIST’s Success360 Toolkit, procured and donated to partner schools, as the foundation for career readiness training. Teachers and instructors are first trained and certified as Success360 Champions through Training of Teachers (TOT) sessions, enabling them to cascade learning independently. Students then participate in upskilling workshops covering both technical skills, such as customer service excellence, conflict resolution, leadership, and teamwork, and forward-looking competencies like green skills, ethical tourism, SDGs and CSR, and innovations in tourism. The program culminates in World of Work Readiness activities including career talks, office tours at VFS Global, mock interviews, and mentorship sessions with industry leaders, with the most promising students supported for potential placement opportunities.
Country:
Phillippines
SDGs
Key Priority Area/s:
Skills, Education & Entrepeneurship
Partners:
VFS Global Philippines, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and Taguig City University
60
Success360 toolkits procured and donated to 2 partner schools in Metro Manila
Goals Achieved:
75
Tertiary-level teachers and staff trained and certified as Success360 Champions
Goals Achieved:
500+
Tertiary-level students touched and trained on career readiness and tourism skills
Goals Achieved:
400
Students transformed as high-potential youth for placement in VFS Global or other industry partners
Goals Achieved:
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