Story & photo by Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes
UNDOUBTEDLY, Ford Philippines prides itself with an all-time best first-half performance with retail sales rising 61 percent this year. In fact, with just the mere mention of the American brand, powerful images of the Ranger pickup, Everest and EcoSport sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) dragging along strong demands that come with it automatically come into the fore.
However, only a few ever pay close attention to what actually happens at the other angle of the spectrum. Just like with the carmaker’s recent inauguration of a newly restructured specialized training hub at the Don Bosco Technical Vocational Education and Training Center (TVET) in Makati City as part of its efforts to support educational development. More often than not, people find this stuff dull and boring. Yet, with all due respect, this scribe brushes aside all the company’s glamour, prestige and competition to focus on the other direction and lend an ear to one of the successful scholars of the program.
Meet newly hired Ford Global City mechanic Aldrich Hosmillo, who hails from a small barrio in Rosario, Batangas. With the carmaker living up to its dogma of giving back to the community, there was certainly much to learn from this 20-year-old living proof of the curriculum’s fruition.
1. Going further in their lives. “We’ve had a fantastic partnership with Don Bosco since 2004, working together on a series of initiatives that help develop the technical skills and experience of the TVET students, which leads to even better career opportunities,” Lance Mosley, managing director of Ford Philippines, said in the facility’s inauguration.
And when Ford recently granted about P1.6 million worth of scholarship to 25 deserving out-of-school youth for a 15-month technical course, they actually endowed more than just the actual amount. This paved the way to the continuation of enriching more lives.
“My relatives, who were also part of the program, are now working abroad and are able to provide better for their families,” Hosmillo shared.
Now, this certain fulfillment in their lives is something worth no amount of money can buy. “Ford’s thrust of going further aligns perfectly with our philosophy of helping the youth become technically competent so they, too, can go further in their lives,” said Fr. Jose Dindo Vitug, SDP, technical director of Don Bosco Manpower Skills Training Center.
2. Bigger means better. “Before, we only had half of this room,” Hosmillo divulged when asked how big the improvements were in the actual center since he was part of an earlier platform.
The venture, which included a P2.5-million construction and about 500-square-meter set-up of the new training facility, features a classroom that can hold 50 students, a vehicle lifter, 12 cabinets and toolboxes filled with specialized equipment. It means a better place to study, practice and enhance their expertise.
3. School-to-work program is a must. Compared to earlier methods, the now newly launched program of ensuring that a stable job awaits graduates is definitely essential for its own success.
“Before, those graduates who weren’t able to find jobs after they graduate tend to lose their way,” said Engr. Armando Marquez, a facilitator in the school working closely with the scholars.
“Since they are already first and foremost exposed in a broken society, they eventually go back to their usual ways, or even bad vices,” he added. Even Aldrich admittedly first had to work as a tricycle driver after graduation before being hired at Ford Global City in Taguig.
4. Character is everything. Ford, this time, tapped the American Chamber of Commerce Foundation to be the third-party administrator of the scholarship program and help first screen candidates, monitor their performance and find employment opportunities at Ford dealerships after they graduate from the course. This way, they make sure to find the right deserving students—just like Hosmillo.
5. You are not defined by your own circumstances. Being the youngest among 10 children, Hosmillo was then already on the rough at a very young age, especially since his mother only works in the market as a small-time meat seller, while his father was already bedridden due to old age. But this didn’t stop him from pursuing his dreams.
6. If you have a dream, you work on it. Never stop. Ever since he was 6 years old, he was already really into cars and gadgets.
“I really loved cars,” he shared. “There’s something about them that really amazes me.”
Thus, he made sure he would work blood, sweat and tears for it. Today, he is reaping the rewards.
7. Gratitude is gold. With only his older sister having able to then support him to get through school, he always had time to go back to his roots—where he strongly feels valuably indebted.
“I thank Ford for this and to everyone who supported me, especially my family,” he conveyed.
“I wouldn’t be here without you.”
8. Reach for the sky—always. “My ultimate dream is to be able to one day own a Ford dealership,” shared this young hardworking visionary when asked how he sees himself in the future.
Ford may have delivered its best-ever performance as sales rose 50 percent to 2,808 units in June. Have Aldrich Hosmillo’s story serve not just as an inspiration but as a constant reminder—that because of the sheer essence of “giving back”, some poor lad from faraway Batangas—or even perhaps potentially many others like him who would soon follow suit are able to be given a chance to live out their dreams, forever hoping to make it big someday.
Image credits: Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes