AN E-COMMERCE track for senior high school (SHS) learners was launched on Thursday in a tie-up involving the departments of Education (DepEd) and Trade and Industry (DTI) as well as Thames International School, Inc., the DTI said.
“A dedicated e-commerce track in SHS is a strategic step toward creating a future-ready workforce. We need to prepare our workforce for the emerging industry, which is digital and AI (artificial intelligence)-driven,” Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said at the signing ceremony on Thursday.
“This track will provide students with the technical skills needed for e-commerce and foster an entrepreneurial mindset, preparing them to be job creators and innovators,” he added.
Thames Co-Founder and President Jaime Noel J. Santos said that the target is to implement the additional track within the current school year.
“We are chasing it because the school year has just started, but the students can still transfer tracks within the first semester, within the first term … We are working on around 50 schools in three regions,” Mr. Santos said.
He said the selected regions — National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon — have a high concentration of e-commerce companies.
“So, immediately upon graduating, the hiring companies are there for them,” he added.
Mr. Santos said the target is 1,000 students for the first batch, with an ultimate goal to graduate 50,000 students within the next four years.
Initially, Thames will be the first to implement the program, with plans to replicate it in DepEd schools through a train-the-trainer program.
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo M. Angara said that the tie-up can potentially offer alternative paths to the 4 million SHS students.
“This will give a greater chance for SHS graduates to be employed, and that is the promise of the government when it passed K–12,” Mr. Angara said.
The DepEd said that the new track will be considered in the ongoing review and revision of the senior high school curriculum.
“We can see the potential of this to be part of our new senior high school curriculum, which is still currently undergoing review and redevelopment,” it added.
Philippine Retailers Association President Roberto S. Claudio said demand for additional manpower in the retail industry is around 500,000 positions.
“There are a lot of retail jobs that do not require college graduates. So this is a good program… at an early stage, they will be employable,” Mr. Claudio said.
“But it should not stop there. What I’d like to see is for it to have a track where they can move up to higher skills and higher education at the same time so they can still upskill,” he said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
