T.I.P. Career Center hosts 2nd STRIDE Career Center Training Program Field Visit

As a partner of the Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE) Program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) the T.I.P. Career Center recently hosted the 2nd STRIDE Career Center Training Program Field Visit attended by representatives from Angeles University Foundation, Ateneo de Davao University, Bicol University, Holy Angel University, Mapua University, University of the Cordilleras, University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP), and University of Southeastern Philippines. The 1st Training Program was held in May 2019 participated in by Batangas State University, Far Eastern University, Jose Rizal University, Mariano Marcos State University, University of Santo Tomas, and USTP.

T.I.P. Career Center Director Dr. Frank Alejandrino shared with the participating schools the ‘must haves’ and the ‘pitfalls’ in establishing and managing a career center, highlighting the need for each school to take advantage of its own unique academic and management environments.

During the same event, the Career Center of the Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) was awarded the recognition, “Model Career Center” by the USAID STRIDE.

The award reads “The USAID STRIDE Program recognizes the

Technological Institute of the Philippines as a Model Career Center that exemplifies best practices in engaging industry in career development and championing student success as promoted by the STRIDE Career Center Development Program.”

The idea of career centers was introduced to the Philippines by USAID through the STRIDE Program in order to help Philippine universities integrate existing in-campus student development services into a cohesive whole for better interaction with the industries that employ their graduates.

The T.I.P. Career Center serves as an all-in-one hub that facilitates alumni relations, student internships, industry linkages, scholarship programs, career advising, and other activities that aim to make students career-ready by the time they graduate. It also provides a venue for deeper engagement between T.I.P. and companies, allowing T.I.P., its students, and its graduates to remain in sync with the ever-changing demands of industry. It was patterned after Career Centers found in the United States of America, including Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.

(Seated) Left to right: T.I.P. Career Center Director Dr. Frank Alejandrino, T.I.P. Manila Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Rosalinda Valdepeñas, T.I.P. President Dr.elizabeth Quirino-lahoz, STRIDE Program Chief of Party Dr. Richard Abendan, USAID STRIDE Career Consultant Dr. Richard Garis, STRIDE Program Institutionalization Manager Dominic Barnachea, and STRIDE Program Institutionalization Coordinator Ma. Teresa Manrique with T.I.P. Career Center staff and officer and participants of the Career Center Development Training Program.