Aeronautical school in Pangasinan emphasizes character formation

With the rapid evolution of technology leading to highly globalized and “digitized” modern living, the future holds immense promise, as well as inevitable challenges, to the younger generation. To become globally prepared, today’s new breed of Filipino learners need solid educational training to build confidence, readiness, and skills to take on the demands of the world. But how can students effectively prepare for the future?

While developing intellectual competencies through modern facilities and teaching is equally important, WCC Aeronautical and Technological College (WCC-ATC) President/CEO and current Binalonan Mayor Ramon V. Guico III emphasizes character formation as a central guiding force that ultimately predicts student success both in and beyond the classroom.

In conceptualizing WCC-ATC, one of Guico’s foremost aspirations is to provide academic programs anchored on a values-focused curriculum design. Simply defined, character formation in education is a wholistic approach that aims to incorporate values, ethics, moral virtues, professionalism as well as leadership in the overall learning experience.

While the basic principles of character formation is not new, Guico is proud to say that WCC-ATC is one of the few leading schools in the country that embraces this model as a way of training responsible citizens and future industry leaders.

“We consider the character formation program as the core of the WCC education system. I believe it is essential in raising the next generation of Filipinos. We believe that employers right now – airlines, MROs, airport operators and other aviation-related industries — look for the right character in employees more than the technical skills. Because people are life-long learners; we can teach them the skills, improve their competence, but it is so hard to develop character. That is why we would like to start early on in developing the characters of our students,” says Guico.

Currently, WCC’s senior high school program includes character formation courses in all levels.

To effectively advocate and instill character formation among students, Guico stresses it is highly important that influential figures in the educational institution are modeling the same important virtues and values. Citing his proactive roles as school owner and as public servant, he firmly believes that emulating moral formation must begin from the top ranks.

“Character should start from the school officials. We ensure that our staff are aware of their important roles so these would be reflective of WCC’s brand of excellence and integrity. We want them to be role models and positive influences to our students. It is the moral obligation of a leader to emulate positive traits, to walk the talk or lead by example. It should be the way of life,” he says.

“As the morals of our society are on the decline, I think it is timely that ethical values and traits like nationalism, love for our country, are taught and given extra emphasis in schools. Again, through character formation, leaders like school administrators or government officials become more responsive to the needs of all. If we practice positive character in our everyday living, we will have ethical decision-making skills which ultimately benefit the people and the community we are serving,” adds Guico.

By taking the lead in promoting wholistic character formation training, WCC students eventually develop their own “moral compass’’ as core values are consistently cascaded along with competent academic instruction.

“We always want them to excel in everything they do; in the workplace and in their personal lives, we want them to be the best. Also, we would like our students to be leaders and role models in the community. Another one is to develop integrity and credibility, especially in their professional lives,” he muses.

Currently, WCC-ATC offers aviationfocused programs that pave the way for students to become commercial pilots, cabin crew and aircraft technicians and engineers.