More scholars eyed for skills training, Japan internship

Marife Gomez, program manager of Sarangani’s Sulong Karunungan program, said Monday they have opened the application process for the scholarship program, which mainly provides students with on-the-job training opportunities in Japan.

Gomez said Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon has issued the go-signal to expand the program’s coverage to qualified residents, especially among the area’s tribal or indigenous cultural communities.

“This is to provide opportunities to more youths to gain skills and experience as well as earn substantial income through the internships in Japan,” she said in an interview.

The program, which started 11 years ago, is a “study now, pay later” scheme jointly implemented by the local government and the Phil-Nippon Technical College (PNTC) in Padada, Davao del Sur.

Gomez said the scholarship is open to male high school and technical vocational graduates as well as female college graduates from the province’s seven municipalities who are aged 19 to 26 years-old. An orientation and examination will be conducted in Alabel town on Friday, Feb. 15, for prospective scholars.

Under the program, she said selected scholars will undergo technical skills training and Japanese language classes at the PNTC. The provincial government will provide scholars with stipends of PHP3,000 a month for the entire duration of the training program, she said.

Gomez said the scholars need to pass the Japanese language program as a primary requirement for the internship in Japan, which has been extended from three to five years.

Internship in Japan could earn a scholar a minimum allowance of PHP30,000 and up to PHP100,000 a month.

Since 2008, the program already produced 58 contract finishers while 28 are currently deployed in various companies in Japan. A total of 66 scholars are undergoing training with support from the provincial government.