In photos are: (L-R) UPAA Director Philip Alfajora, DOLE Undersecretary Benedicto Bitonio Jr., PEZA Director General Tereso Panga, UP President Angelo Jimenez, and UPAA President and UP Regent Robert Aranton

UPAA Launches Flagship Program 4E's CONNECT

by Yeye Marasigan SDP '96

IN FOCUS:

A new set of Directors headed by President Robert Lester Aranton has been duly installed to lead the UP Alumni Association until 2026.

Soon after the election of the Officers of its Board of Directors held last June 30th at the Bahay ng Alumni, President Aranton immediately requested for a strategic planning session to determine the priorities under his term.

On July 15th, the UPAA Board of Directors convened in UPOU, Los Banos to establish its goals, to identify its focus and to properly plan out the specific projects to achieve its objectives.

In his rousing opening address, President Aranton presented pressing concerns afflicting our workforce, highlighting underemployment and unemployment. Recognizing the nature and extent of these concerns, he acknowledged the need for a thorough approach encompassing not only, investments in education and skill development; but also, in harnessing industry-academe partnerships.

With much optimism, The UPAA Board of Directors committed to address these concerns. To serve as a guide to facilitate the Board’s vision and in response to the challenges at hand, a comprehensive roadmap anchored on the objectives of reinvigorating job creation and providing a wealth of opportunity for our alumni was presented - the 4Es CONNECT.

The 4Es CONNECT: The UPAA Flagship Program

4Es is an acronym which stands for Experiential Education towards Employment and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem.

Meanwhile, CONNECT summarizes the main activities that will be operationalized in the aforementioned 4Es.

C - Collaboration and Networking

O - Organizing Job Fairs and Recruitment Events

N - Nurturing through Mentorship Programs

N - Nurturing Skills Development and Training Programs

E - Establishing Industry Partnerships

C - Cultivating Entrepreneurship Support

T - Transformative Advocacy and Policy Recommendations

By integrating experiential learning, industry engagement, and entrepreneurship support, the Flagship Program aims to equip senior high school students, graduating college students and new college graduates with the competencies, skills and experiences needed in obtaining successful employment and pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors.

By bridging the gap between theory and practice, 4Es CONNECT intends to prepare students and newbie job seekers for the rigorous demands of workplace requirements and seemingly unending real-world challenges.

4Es CONNECT will be anchored on three pillars under which proposed specific projects shall be facilitated:

UP Seedx: It aims to provide supplemental support in competence development and employability through immersive, gamified, and simulated industry and entrepreneurship experiences in different strands in Senior High School to prepared them for higher education.

Up FlexWork Scholarship: It intends to provide part-time employment opportunities for UP students, allowing them to gain practical work experience while balancing their academic commitments. It likewise aims to create industry-academe research projects and endeavors.

UP High and About: Its objective is to provide a broad platform designed to bring together various UP alumni services, fostering seamless access to essential resources, and enhancing collaboration among the UP community.

Forging Collaborations and Linkages

Succeeding meetings were arranged to gather support from relevant government agencies and offices.

Last August 22nd, UPAA President and UP Regent Robert Aranton met with key personnels to present the UPAA Board’s vision for a meaningful Industry-Academe-Government Linkage for job creation highlighting the significance in ensuring a seamless linkage between education and employment.

No less than the Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority Board of Directors have expressed overwhelming support for the project.

Source: UPAA Secretariat and UPAA Public Relations Officer Yeye Marasigan SDP '96