Don Bosco Technical Institute teaches close to 800 students.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (June 12, 2023) Six students who attend Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati City, Philippines, were supported with their education thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Five of the students are in the automotive program while the sixth student is taking the fitter machinist course. The students have completed their coursework and will advance to hands-on training with their graduation in September 2023.

Don Bosco Technical Institute was established in 1971 to provide poor and underprivileged youth with the skills training to find and retain employment. Today, the institute teaches close to 800 students in courses including automotive, machine shop, electrical and electronics, and printing.

The institute has also developed long-term partnerships with organizations that help ensure students are able to access on-the-job training and find employment once they graduate. Partnerships have been developed with Ford and Porsche, among others.

Students enrolled in the Porsche program complete a 10-month basic training course that includes both theoretical and practical training at the Don Bosco Technical Institute where Porsche has set up and equipped a dedicated training facility. During the program, students undergo advanced Berlitz-administered language lessons in English and Spanish, as well as training in customer service.

Twice a year the institute selects its top 35 students to advance to a comprehensive nine-month training program with Porsche specialists where students train on official Porsche vehicles using Porsche specialized tools. The program’s curriculum is continuously developing and adapting to the latest innovations and technology.

“We are grateful for our donor who is helping to ensure these students are able to finish their education and advance to hands-on training,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “Don Bosco Technical Institute provides a solid education and has developed the right partnerships to ensure students make an easy transition from the classroom to the workplace, setting them up for long-term success.”

Throughout the Philippines, Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth. The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.

More than one-quarter of the population of the Philippines lives in poverty, according to UNICEF. Poverty is most severe and widespread in rural areas where 80% of the population — close to 88 million people — make their home. The poorest Filipinos are Indigenous populations, small-scale farmers who cultivate land received through agrarian reform, landless workers and fishermen. In addition, poverty rates are higher for women than men.

Illiteracy and high levels of unemployment contribute to the elevated poverty rate. With more than 11 million out-of-school youth in the country and dropout rates doubling as children reach secondary school, access to education becomes a critical step in breaking the cycle of poverty.

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