Life is often difficult for those living in the uplands. Many do not get to finish their education, leading them to take jobs with limited opportunities. This leaves many of them living in poverty.
However, scholars of geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation (EDC) – through its College Admission Review and Readiness Program (CAREERS) – are the testament to how education is the key to opening doors to opportunities. Top performing students from partner schools located in EDC’s geothermal sites in Albay, Sorsogon, Leyte, Negros Island, and Kidapawan are invited to the CAREERS program. These scholars are enrolled in different University of the Philippines (UP) campuses and different local state universities and colleges.
Under the CAREERS program, more than a hundred scholars receive not just financial support to continue their tertiary education, but also skills-building workshops that aim to transform them into youth leaders and advocates for the environment, through the annual CAREERS Solidarity Building and Leadership Camp. This year’s Solidarity Building and Leadership Camp, with the theme “Infinite Capabilities,” was a three-day workshop held last July 26 to 28 in Negros Oriental Convention Center in Dumaguete City.
During the camp, the scholars became acquainted with how a geothermal power plant works and how it is the best source of clean energy through a site visit in EDC’s 112.5 Palinpinon-1 Geothermal Power Plant in Valencia, Negros Oriental.
As the camp aims to develop each scholar’s leadership skills, Jay Joel Soriano, EDC Negros Island Geothermal Business Unit Head, was invited to share the good qualities that a renewable energy ambassador and leader must possess. He has shared that an ambassador and leader must be a good communicator, know how to collaborate with others, have integrity, and be creative and innovative. To develop these qualities, the scholars grouped up and accomplished various difficult physical tasks that challenged their team’s communication, collaboration, innovation, and integrity.
To put their roles as renewable energy advocates, each team has prepared and proposed a commitment plan, which aimed to spread awareness on climate change and on how the youth can contribute to saving the environment. The winning commitment plan will be implemented by the CAREERS scholars.
At the end of the three-day workshop, the scholars were not just able to gain knowledge on environment issues like climate change and on how to become a good leader and renewable energy ambassador, but they have bolstered also their camaraderie among each other – all while having fun.
