TCS concludes pilot听run of听IT听education program in Cordillera听
Global information technology service provider Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)听declared听the pilot run of its听goIT听program in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) a success after the听participating high school students听presented their mobile app projects in听a听digital innovation fair on Sept.听29.听
鈥淲e believe in helping the youth in ways and means that will prepare them for future employment in a digital era,鈥 said Shiju Varghese, country manager of TCS Philippines,听during听the media roundtable where they presented the program鈥檚 outcome.听
The听online听workshops, which听lasted听five听days, reached听283 students听across 22 schools in CAR. A total of听46听mobile app outputs were produced听after extensive modules that built participants鈥 design, critical thinking, public speaking, and problem-solving skills.听听
Aside from CAR, the听goIT听program was launched听in Western Visayas, in communities听that are听also underrepresented compared to urban hubs like Manila and Cebu.听听
鈥淲e want to empower global communities, especially in the Philippines, with regard to IT, especially now during the pandemic where we saw the digital transformation of a lot of companies,鈥 said Patrick听Jay S.听Veril, TCS Philippines鈥 corporate social responsibility manager. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e focusing on听goIT听鈥斕齜ecause we want to encourage students to take up听STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).鈥澨听
Some听of the听program鈥檚 goals听are听to听demystify听computer science and听spark curiosity in the Filipino youth outside of the major cities, so they can become leaders in support of technological development, he added.听听
As for the听decision to have the pilot run in CAR, the education department鈥檚 assistant director in the region, Florante听E.听Vergara, said: 鈥淲e are geographically isolated and some of our schools are in听far-flung听areas. When this was introduced to听us, we听grabbed the opportunity听for the听sake of听students in听such听areas.鈥澨听
The apps produced by the students were also encouraged to have a good impact in their respective communities and align with the United Nations鈥 sustainable development goals.听听听
鈥淒ue to preventive measures for COVID-19, the program was done virtually,鈥 added Mr. Vergara. 鈥淲e are looking forward to having it face to face in the future.鈥 鈥斕Bronte H. Lacsamana
