Former Scholars of Hanns Seidel Foundation Mentor Dualtech Center Trainees

Members of the Association of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholars of the Philippines (AHSFSPI), spearheaded by its President, Mr. Honorio M. Grupo, Jr., and its Treasurer, Mr. Rene Roberto G. Garcia, joined the Mentoring Sessions under the Dualtech Center’s Advanced Stage Training Program (ASTP) as mentors to the Center’s trainees last 16th October 2009 and 12th February 2010.

This participation in the Dualtech Center’s ASTP was identified as one of the AHSFSPI’s projects for 2009.  The overarching goal of the project is to assist the Dualtech Center in its Program through the involvement of the members of the Association in the Mentoring Sessions.  The Association’s Members are professionals and former scholars trained in Germany in various areas of specialisation.  They recognise the value of sharing their time and experiences for the benefit of Dualtech Center’s trainees and have agreed to make this a regular part of the AHSFSPI’s activities.

The ASTP is a values formation program which aims to develop the trainees of the Dualtech Center personally and professionally.  Under the component Culture of Excellence (C.O.E.), the Program promotes the development of virtues trainees can apply to different situations, such as: Doing Things on Time, Putting Things in Place, Being Systematic, Caring through Small Things, Putting Others First, Sacrificing for Others, Cleaning up the Environment, Giving a Preference for the Poor, Working for Community Welfare, Going for High Quality, Fostering Cooperation, and Being Part of One World.  The C.O.E. is combined with the teaching of Skills for Life (S.F.L.), Self-awareness Skills, Interpersonal Relationships and Communication, Coping with Emotion and Stress in Positive Ways, Critical Thinking and Decision-making Skills, Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution Skills, Setting Goals for Productivity and Success.

The ASTP gives the trainees the unique opportunity of learning from the personal experiences shared by professionals, such as the AHSFSPI members, who impart anecdotes about their life and their work. The first-hand information passed on to the trainees helps improve their attitude and strengthen their values, and contribute to their personal and professional growth. The Mentoring Sessions also help enable the trainees to gain self-confidence as well as develop them as individuals.

The Mentoring Sessions during which the AHSFSPI members served as mentors were attended by 20 trainees who were high-school graduates aged around 17 to 21 years old, and who were undertaking training and further training at the Dualtech Center. They come from low-income families, and are encouraged to attend the Mentoring Sessions to compliment the technical skills training and enhance their life skills.

Established in 1982, the Dualtech Center, a former project of the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany, pioneered the implementation of the German Dual Training System (DTS) in the Philippines in co-operation with the Foundation.  The project was turned over in 2001 and is now a private vocational school and training center which is being managed by its Executive Director, Mr. Arnold Morfe, who is also a former HSF scholar. It trains over a thousand scholars from the poor sectors of society each year, in partnership with over a hundred companies, which guarantee employment for them after the training program.  To date, Dualtech Center has graduated over 7,000 trainees under the DTS, with a current employment rate of over 95%.  The Association’s Board is arranging another visit this March 2010 and will invite more members to join them.

Read more at http://www.hss.de/southeastasia/en/philippines/news-events/news-and-events-2010/former-scholars-of-hanns-seidel-foundation-mentor-dualtech-center-trainees.html