Story by Hannah Raven Gutierrez, Project Officer
Amir worked in food service while studying to support himself. When financial difficulties forced him to leave school, he kept looking for a way to continue learning. Now, he is one of 15 scholars from Batangas preparing to train in Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) NC II through the Sanayan sa Kakayahang Industriyal (SKIL) Program, implemented by Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI).
The scholars, aged 18 to 34, come from Tabangao Aplaya, Ambulong, Malitam, Libjo, and Wawa. Many are out of school or had to put their education on hold because of financial difficulties. For Amir, the scholarship offers a chance to learn a trade and work toward more stable employment.
Before training begins, the scholars and their guardians attended an orientation led by Hannah Raven Gutierrez of PSFI and Peachy Tan of Concept Institute for Career Enhancement, Inc. They learned what to expect from the program and heard how a former scholar turned her training into an opportunity to teach.
From SKIL scholar to assistant trainer
Known as Ate Nini, the former scholar joined SKIL in 2023 and completed training in Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) NC II and Instrumentation and Control Servicing (ICS) NC II. After completing her assessments and on-the-job training, she was offered a role as an assistant trainer at Concept Institute for Career Enhancement, Inc.
Today, Ate Nini is working toward her Trainer Methodology Level I certification while helping train aspiring technicians, including the new batch of SKIL scholars.
Marky, another incoming scholar, is taking a different path into the electrical field. An educator by profession, he first received a Shell scholarship in elementary school and contributed articles to the Shell Shift newspaper. Years later, he is returning as a Shell scholar to learn a new trade and explore another career path.
By the end of 2025, SKIL had supported 7,021 scholars over more than four decades. With support from Shell companies in the Philippines (SCiP), PSFI continues to make technical-vocational training accessible to learners like Amir and Marky. As the new Batangas batch prepares to begin training, they’ll have someone who knows what it’s like to be in their place helping them learn the trade.
