Career Program by SM Offices, National University bridges academia and industry
As a key initiative for SM Offices to not only drive professional growth but also support tenant partners, SM Prime’s SM Offices Business Unit held a career fair in partnership with the National University (NU) on Oct. 16 and 18 at the NU Fairview and NU Baliwag campuses, respectively.
SM Offices and NU have ventured in a pilot collaboration called the “Bridges to Success” program to connect hundreds of NU alumni and students with top-tier employers from various industries, including healthcare, IT and business process management (IT-BPM), logistics, and even SM Prime and affiliate companies.
“Distinct from a typical career fair, the Bridges to Success Career Program is designed to be a dedicated platform that allows NU students to seamlessly transition from academic life to their first job,” shared SM Prime Holdings vice president and SM Offices head Alexis Ortiga.
Career programs
Inspired by how U.S.-based universities arrange their career programs, the fair allowed students to gain insights from industry leaders through panel discussions and engage in real-world career experiences, while providing employers with the opportunity to network, interview, and even hire students on the spot.
The event featured a range of thought-provoking discussions and presentations as well as avenues for students to engage with professionals from some of the largest companies in the country.
The keynote address was delivered by IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines Academe Linkages & Talent Attraction Lead Zoe Diaz de Rivera. Her talk, titled “Insights on the IT-BPM Industry,” provided a comprehensive overview of the growing IT-BPM landscape, emphasizing the critical skills and competencies students need to thrive in this competitive sector.
Afni, Concentrix, Emerson, iQor, Teleperformance, and other SM Offices’ tenant-partners were present at the fair to meet potential recruits and offer internships and full-time career opportunities. Also in the event were SM Supermalls, SMDC, SM Hotels and Conventions, Tagaytay Highlands, Hamilo Coast, and Park Inn by Radisson.
Robust talent pipeline
For SM Offices’ tenant partners, the Bridges to Success program is a direct line to ensure a robust talent pipeline to support their growing businesses.
“This collaboration with SM Offices truly bridged the gap between academia and industry. The interaction between our students and leading companies in the IT/BPM space and other key industries was incredibly beneficial, and we are confident that this program will continue to open doors for our students,” NU president Dr. Renato Carlos Ermita Jr. said.
Through Bridges to Success, NU can proudly offer a program designed to secure internships and jobs for students even before they set foot on an NU campus; while SM Offices keeps its promise of delivering a comprehensive office ecosystem that goes beyond the four walls of the office—one that helps businesses thrive and prosper.
“This Program is a win-win for everyone involved,” Ortiga said. “SM Offices tenant-partners now have a steady annual pool of highly capable graduates equipped to contribute immediately to their organizations.”
Expanding the initiative
Future plans for the Program include closer collaboration between NU and employers to establish formal internship training programs and to build a database that will keep track of key metrics for NU students’ performance coming directly out of university.
“We are excited at the resulting clamor for the program, so we’re now looking to expand this initiative to be held multiple times a year at various NU campuses nationwide. SM Offices, our tenant partners, and NU are in a distinct advantage to create positive change and we intend to capitalize on this synergy to empower the next generation of professionals,” Ortiga concluded.
