Leading global bathroom and kitchen solutions brand GROHE awarded its first batch of internationally certified students who have completed their vocational courses at the GROHE Dual Tech training facility in Don Bosco Youth Center, Tondo Manila held last November 29, 2019. And along with the awarding, GROHE also inaugurated the newly-constructed public restroom in St. John Bosco Parish Tondo.
During the awarding ceremony, GROHE management board member Michael Mager said, “Today marks a milestone for many of us as we award the first batch of internationally certified GROHE Dual Tech students.” He also added that, “It gives us so much pride to see these young people gain self-confidence and improve their career potential through these trainings.”
GROHE Dual Tech is a partnership program of GROHE and Don Bosco Youth Center to empower young people to better their lives by offering vocational apprenticeship programs with widely accepted graduation certificates, and consequently open opportunities for them in the form of secure jobs with competitive salaries.
This collaboration between GROHE and Don Bosco Youth Center was first launched in 2009, in Mumbai-Kurla, India. It was initially born out of a demand for more skilled workers in emerging countries, but became more meaningful as it gave more opportunities for the youth to start a new life. Following the success of this project—winning first prize in the “Innovation Competition for Vocational Training Projects in Developing Countries” from the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)—it then expanded to the Philippines, building its center in Tondo, Manila on October 24, 2015.
“We chose Tondo because of its dense population and the low educational and job opportunities for its youth,” shares Mager. “We want to take them out of the streets and open doors of opportunity for them through our educational programs so they can develop their talents and skills, and eventually help them earn a decent living.”
Meanwhile, Fr. Manuel Nicolas SDB, Don Bosco Technical Vocational Education and Training Center (TVET) director, is very grateful for this partnership with GROHE. “We thank GROHE for its continuous collaboration with Don Bosco. Because of this project, we have seen many positive changes not only among the students of Dual Tech but also in our community.”
The students received their international certification completed in a program called General Maintenance Technician (GMT) course that run for a total of 15 months—10 months in the training center. They were trained by Filipino mentors accredited by GROHE, and five months internship in Don Bosco-partner companies. It covers TESDA-certified electrical and ref & aircon courses and is also tied up with a special plumbing course, which is internationally certified by GROHE. A total of 42 graduating students passed the International Certificate on GROHE Standards assessment exams, qualifying them to work for GROHE in the country or abroad.
Part of the graduation requirement of students is the construction of the public restrooms of the St. John Bosco Parish. Through the generosity of GROHE, Lixil Philippines, together with American Standard and Tostem, and Wilcon Depot, the students were able to produce a 40-sqm separated men and women’s restrooms of quality facilities located in front of the parish. The restrooms feature GROHE, American Standard and Tostem products, along with products from Wilcon Depot.
GROHE’s training centers around the world has transformed lives of young people. In the Philippines alone, GROHE and Don Bosco’s collaboration has produced hundreds of certified workers.
Seeing more collaborations in the future, Mager concluded, “This is only the beginning for GROHE and Don Bosco as we inspire and encourage a bigger chunk of the youth to transform their lives at the GROHE Dual Tech training centers.”
To know more about GROHE and the GROHE Dual Tech training, visit their website https://www.grohe.com/
