Five senior high school (SHS) graduates from Valencia National High School in Ormoc City were successfully onboarded early this week as our newest set of helper electricians in the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Tongonan Project. As finishers of Project K12, First Balfour’s education program launched to support the technical-vocational track of public schools in our host communities, the graduates underwent 80 hours of internship in our Mahanagdong Binary Power Plant and BESS Tongonan projects.
L-R: Jim Fajardo, Christian Ruaya, Kaven Pagadora, Reil Greg Angcog, Gregory Jason Lauro
One of the new hires, 18-year-old Jim Fajardo (leftmost in photo), set his eyes on landing a job in First Balfour immediately after graduation. “Gusto ko muna pumasok dito (First Balfour) kasi walang pang-araw-araw na gastusin,” he shared. Driven by his ambition to become an engineer someday, his classmate Riel Greg Angcog (second from right) shared that his decision to work was to save money so he could enroll in college.
Established in 2016, Project K12 was created to support the K to 12 program of the Department of Education, specifically in the conduct of the Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) course of two public high schools in Parañaque City, Parañaque National High School (PNHS) and Dr. Arcadio Santos National High School (DASNHS). Since then, the program has supported over 400 SHS students in Parañaque through the provision of EIM tools, internship opportunities, and immediate employment options post-graduation.
Its success in the metro laid the groundwork for its expansion into other regions last year. Having been part of the local community in Leyte for many years, First Balfour saw the opportunity to replicate the program and partner with two schools in Ormoc City, Valencia National High School (VNHS) for EIM and Genaro B. Lureñana National High School (GBLNHS) for its Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) course.
(Left) Project K12 lead Anchel Cruz and Leyte Project HR Loloy Encela with the new hires last July 17; (Right) MOA signing with Ormoc public high schools on 12 October 2023
The Grade 12 EIM course in VNHS saw 20 enrollees at the start of the school year in 2023, all of whom were able to complete their internship in Mahanagdong and BESS in April 2024. The 10-day on-the-job training allowed them to gain critical hands-on experience in the field which gave them a taste of what a future career in construction could look like—a future that may well include working with First Balfour.
Their internship involved learning from the project management team (in left photo is with BESS Tongonan Electrical Field Engineer Reymart Cagabcab) and site observation
Officially starting in their roles as helper electricians last July 16, Jim, Christian, Kaven, Reil, and Gregory will all undergo a three-month evaluation period to determine performance and their next steps in the company. Similarly, our recruitment team has received applications from 14 SHS graduates from Parañaque City in the hopes of landing a job in First Balfour.
Ariel Alonso, one of the trainers for the program, emphasized that the hands-on practices available at First Balfour are crucial for developing skilled professionals. “Marami po tayong ginagawa sa field na dito lang nila natutunan. Maganda po siya na program. Nakakatulong at nakakaturo po tayo,” he shared. Ariel’s journey with First Balfour also began as an intern. He is now one of the long-time electrical engineers in First Balfour.
Building on the success of the EIM course, First Balfour is preparing to launch the SMAW immersion program in the coming school year. The course aims to provide students with specialized welding skills, further expanding their career opportunities in the industry. By providing invaluable hands-on experience and immediate employment opportunities, Project K12 not only empowers students to envision and pursue promising careers but also helps build a skilled workforce that will drive the future of construction. As the initiative continues to expand, we remain steadfast in our commitment to nurturing young talent and contributing to the growth of the communities we serve.
