The Philippines has the potential to become a preferred training hub by multinational companies due to its English-speaking and skilled workforce, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.
Trade Undersecretary Ponciano Manalo Jr. told reporters more companies are looking at the Philippines as the location for their training facilities because Filipinos can speak English well and can easily be trained.
“The Philippines is beginning to be looked at as a training hub or training center,” he said.
Among the companies interested in making the Philippines its training hub is aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
Manalo and Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo met with representatives from Airbus during their visit to France earlier this month.
Aside from Airbus, other companies engaged in aerospace as well as other sectors such as transportation and construction are also interested in setting up training facilities in the Philippines.
At present, some firms engaged in the retail business have started undertaking training programs in the Philippines such as Japan’s Uniqlo and Sweden’s H&M.
Uniqlo is bringing Japanese students in their Philippine outlets in order to train in English as a second language.
H&M is likewise undertaking training activities in their retail outlets in the country.
Given the interest by firms in making the Philippines the location of their training activities, Manalo said the DTI can include such in the government’s efforts to attract firms to locate in the country.
“It (training) is turning out to be an opportunity that we can promote to firms,” he said.
The Philippines’ young, English-speaking and skilled talent pool has often been cited as one of the reasons global companies to set up operations in the country.