Communications industry skills mentorship program scaling up with regional partnerships

THE COMMUNICATIONS industry is increasingly challenged by skills gaps that are increasingly more apparent in the transition from school to workplace, COMCO Mundo said.

“There are many challenges in the communications industry. But one thing that we are focused on is bridging the gap between academia and the workplace,” according to Ferdinand L. Bondoy, COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises’ Interregional president.

“I think we need to help in terms of the readiness of the workforce, not only on the skills but also on the behavioral mindset and, of course, adapting to the culture,” he added.

As such, COMCO Mundo has rolled out an industry linkage program known as the Camp ComCo Mentorship.

“When we have apprentices or interns, or even fresh graduates who would like to join the workforce, we continue the education, so we’re giving them real-life situations, practical applications in the communications industry,” he said.

“We’ve been doing that since we started in 2016, and we are in 23 cycles now,” he added.

He said there are plans to replicate the scheme around the region through the newly launched Southeast Asia Communications Agencies Network Alliance (SEA CAN Alliance).

“That’s something that they also want to adapt in their respective markets. So they also want that kind of mentorship, very integrated, so that the culture is inculcated as they start, and then they really grow in the field and the profession,” he said.

“I think we’re planning for something bigger for Camp ComCo. It won’t be just Philippine-wide anymore; we are thinking of scaling that up across Southeast Asia,” he added.

On Wednesday, COMCO Mundo launched the SEA CAN Alliance, which brought together agencies from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

“With SEA CAN Alliance, we are building more than just a network; we are creating an ecosystem that connects local expertise with regional synergy, reinforcing excellence in the communications industry,” Mr. Bondoy, who is also the lead convenor of the alliance, said.

“Our goal is to empower independent agencies to grow together, share strengths, and deliver world-class communication campaigns rooted in authentic Southeast Asian perspectives,” he added.

The alliance is also seen to enable brands to scale their campaigns regionally while being culturally fluent and impactful. — Justine Irish D. Tabile