Hyundai Invests in Quality Voc-Tech Education for the Filipino

Hyundai Dream Centre Philippines (HDCP), inaugurated on April 10, 2018 at the Hyundai Logistics Center (HLC) in Calamba, Laguna, aims to bring new value to Philippine vocational-technical training. HDCP is Hyundai Motor Group's (HMG) newest investment in the Philippines and the fifth Dream Centre established by HMG in Asia and Africa since 2013. Through HDCP, HMG and partners Plan International and Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), seek to enhance the skills of the local automotive workforce, open opportunities for underprivileged youth to begin productive careers in the automotive industry and, ultimately, boost the Philippine industry’s competitiveness in the regional and global arenas. HARI is privileged to be the first-ever distributor in the Hyundai global community to be chosen to design and implement the training courses, adapting these to the needs of the HDCP student/scholars and of the local Industry. The four previously established Dream Centres in Ghana, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam partnered with local vocational schools to design their courses. HDCP's pioneer batch consists of 45 male and female scholars who have demonstrated their aptitude and keenness to excel as Hyundai-trained automotive technicians.

Representatives from the national and local government who attended the HDCP launch congratulated and expressed support for Hyundai's newest investment in the country, deemed a timely response to the national bid to enhance the skills and address gaps in the education of the local workforce. "You are not just sharing the competencies of your experts, you are not just upgrading the skills of your workers and scholars, most importantly, you are improving the quality of life of the Filipino workforce," said Mylene Somera, Supervising Specialist, TESDA Women's Center. "This is another blessing for our province as we are advocating (the empowerment of) our people through practical education that will enhance the skills and maximize the potential of our people, particularly the underprivileged, marginalized and out-of- school youth," declared Mary Jane Corcuera, Provincial Public Employment Service Office, who represented Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez. While Calamba Mayor Justin Marc Chipeco affirmed, "Today, we are not only showing confidence in our country by Hyundai investing its facilities (here). (By) investing in education, we thank you on behalf of our country, because you are helping our children." In her opening remarks, HARI President and CEO Maria Fe Perez-Agudo thanked Hyundai Motor Group and Plan International for entrusting the Hyundai Dream Centre Philippines training to HARI: “Your confidence inspires us to provide business and industry with a steady flow of expert technicians capable of energizing the Philippine automotive industry, moving the economy, and raising the banner of Filipino competitiveness in ASEAN and in the world.”