Soco Group sets up manpower training center

CEBU, Philippines - The need for skill-based working population especially from the tourism industry both here and abroad has prompted the Soco Group of Companies through the Satellite Ventures Inc., to establish a training center that will produce world-class manpower pool.

Global Power Skills Development Center, Inc. offers courses that enhance accessory skills particularly related to hospitality and tourism sectors.

“There is a strong demand for skill-based manpower now, especially in the hospitality industry. This has to be complemented with a proper training school, so that shortage of world-class skills will be avoided,” said Global Power Skills president Glenn Soco.

Working closely with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Global Power is initially focusing on providing training that are most in need such as bar tending, housekeeping, food and beverage services, barista, commercial cooking, baking and pastry.

Aside from providing these short courses that will hone world-class hospitality industry working pool both here and abroad, the center is also starting its advocacy called “Live The Dream”, a community-based campaign for the youth to provide them a glimpse of different in-demand skills in the industry, and guide them that what they really want to take as a profession.

“There are a lot of mis-aligned people. There are those that took up nursing courses, but found out that they love to do something else,” he said.

Thus, the “Live The Dream” campaign of the Global Power, will guide the youth community on how to choose their career path, and “they have to be inspired.”

“Before somebody chooses a course in college, he has to know first what he really loves to do, this is what the campaign is all about—inspiring the youth to get start up a profession that they love, and passionate about,” Soco said.

Satellite Ventures Inc., operates several companies that such as the Mandaue Integrated Manpower Services (MIMS), Powerline Human Resource Management Inc., Coffee Dream, among others.

These companies alone under the group could already absorbed the employment needs of the graduates, he said although adding that Global Power Skills has also inked tie-up with big hotels and resorts in Cebu, as well as other provinces, like Boracay and Bohol, to expose their students to the real field.

Apart from small Non-government organization (NGO) managed training centers that focus on hospitality training skills, Global is so far the largest training center in Cebu that is designed to provide skills for the growing hospitality industry.

Since the center targets to attract the mainstream youth market, Soco said training fees are pegged in a very affordable rate. Full course for bartending for instance, range from P5,900 to 6,800. Short course of this field is only pegged from P2,500 to P2,800.

According to Soco, the company is aiming at expanding the training center into a full college institution in the long term, as the need for specialized skills not only in the hospitality industry but other sectors continue to grow.