IBM Delivers Smarter Education Roadmap to Philippines Higher Education Board

IBM recommends curriculum improvements including high-value, job-rich analytics technology expertise

An international team of 10 experts from IBM's pro bono Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program have completed a month-long assignment during which they helped the Philippines Commission on Higher Education (CHED)  identify ways to position the country as an education and technology skills hub for the region. 

The IBM Corporate Service Corps team also worked with the Mindanao Alliance of Self-Help Societies-Southern Philippines Education Center and the Department of Agrarian Reform – Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services, on workable strategies to help foster economic growth for the country.   

The team, comprised of IBM employees from six countries, provided concrete recommendations to help CHED develop educational programs that boost skills development in business analytics and optimization, which are emerging as high-value business tools in the region.     

CHED and IBM share a common understanding that one of the specialization areas CONNECTED TO GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY could be in analytics.  This would prepare the country to participate in the emerging global market opportunity for analytics, estimated at US$ 160 billion by 2015.   

“With the right skills and talents, the Philippines is poised to be a leading global center for smarter analytics.  By leveraging analytics, we will  transform and redefine the next generation Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).  Our country has what it takes, having the right ingredients –  continued success in outsourcing, global talent and the right leadership  to make this vision a reality. Global leadership in this next generation BPO means economic growth for the country,” Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, President and Country General Manager, IBM Philippines.   


The IBM Corporate Service Corps (CSC) program, often called the corporate version of the “ Peace Corps,” was developed to help IBM employees become effective 21st century global leaders and citizens while helping solve complex problems in developing countries like the Philippines.   
        
The CSC team 12 in the Philippines was comprised of 10 top caliber IBM employees with diverse skills from Spain, India, Brazil, Switzerland, Mexico and USA.  After three months of preparation, they officially started their in country assignment in mid-September and presented their findings to the groups they worked with.   

IBM's Corporate Service Corps is a global, pro bono initiative designed to spur economic growth by providing problem-solving assistance to educational institutions, small businesses, non governmental organizations and governmental institutions mostly in emerging markets.  The program gives them access to sophisticated expertise to help improve local conditions, enhance government services and foster job creation.  Team members, who are among IBM’s top talent, offer skills in areas that include information technology, research, marketing, finance, consulting, human resources and law. 

Since its inception in 2008, the IBM CSC program has already deployed 12 PRO BONO teams comprising about 100 OF IBM'S TOP TALENT  to the Philippines to support a broad range of small businesses, non-government and government organizations WORKING on high impact projects across emerging markets in the Philippines.   In the last four years, over 2,000 IBM employees based in 50 countries have been dispatched on more than 200 Corporate Service Corps team assignments in 30 countries. 

Since establishing its presence in the Philippines in 1937, IBM has evolved to become the leading information technology partner in the country, providing hardware, software, and IT-enabled business services to domestic and global markets.  IBM in the Philippines has grown exponentially in terms of business portfolio, talent growth and geographic reach. 

For more information about IBM in the Philippines, please visit http://www.ibm.com/ph  And for more information about IBM's philanthropic activities, please visit http://www.CitizenIBM.com 

You may also like and follow IBM Philippines on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/IBMPhils and on Twitter @IBMPhilippines https://twitter.com/IBMPhilippinesand @citizenIBM.