Yangon, – PepsiCo, UNESCO, and the Myanmar Ministry of Education today celebrated the launch of Myanmar’s first Centre of Excellence for Business Skills Development (CEBSD) in the presence of Union Minister of Education, Her Excellency, Dr. Khin San Yee, officials from the Ministry, dignitaries and special guests from civil society organizations and the private sector.
The CEBSD is a result of an innovative public-private partnership, the first of its kind in Myanmar, which aims to improve employment prospects for youth in Myanmar by offering targeted courses and training in business and employability skills, career counselling, and networking opportunities. This ground-breaking project will also facilitate the development of industry-responsive vocational training courses to assist young people to enter the world of work.
In her opening remarks, H.E. Dr. Khin San Yee congratulated UNESCO and PepsiCo along with the staff from the Yangon University of Economics (YUE) for their leadership and collaboration in establishing the Centre, noting that “The Centre is an innovative and timely project that provides a space for the private sector and academia to jointly address business development issues in Myanmar. Through seminars, guest speaker sessions, applied research opportunities and skill development courses, the CEBSD will help transform the way that the Myanmar education sector engages with business and equips our young people to successfully participate in the working world, and will be looked upon as a model for the future.”
Ms. Umran Beba, Senior Vice-President and Chief Human Resources Office, PepsiCo AMEA, said: “PepsiCo has long recognized that our company’s success is inextricably linked to society’s success. Myanmar is an important market for us, both from a business and community development perspective. Our delicious beverage products are enjoyed by Myanmar consumers everywhere, and from an agricultural standpoint, Myanmar is already playing a key role in producing potatoes for our potato chips business. It is therefore very important that we continue to play a positive role in Myanmar’s development. By providing young people with the skills they need to enter the business world, which in turn will improve their livelihoods, we can help shape Myanmar’s future growth.”
UNESCO Head of Office, Myanmar, Mr. Sardar Umar Alam, said; “Thanks to the Ministry of Education and PepsiCo and this public-private partnership, the CEBSD will act as an interface between the academia and private sector to empower youth with skills, and develop and provide innovative solutions to address youth unemployment in Myanmar.”
The CEBSD opened its doors to a ‘pilot’ cohort of 22 students in June 2014, and a further intake of 60 students began earlier in September. In total, it is anticipated that the CEBSD will enroll a minimum of 300 students in its first full year of operation.
The CEBSD’s 10-week course, “Strengthening Business Skills for Youth,” consists of four units of study, totaling 150 hours of training in topics relevant to the world of work. The course design and materials were successfully developed in collaboration with the business community of Myanmar, lecturers from YUE, RMIT University in Australia and UNESCO staff. Thirty lecturers from YUE were trained through a series of workshops to design and deliver the interactive CEBSD programming, which, for many lecturers, represents a shift towards a more learner-centred pedagogy that facilitates active learning and practical skills development. In addition to offering short training courses in business and vocational skills, the CEBSD will host regular guest lectures from global leaders in the business world.
In the coming months, UNESCO and PepsiCo plan to continue expanding the CEBSDs programming and services to cater to the needs of more youth and to further engage with the business community of Myanmar. Opportunities for internships with businesses and other means of ensuring a smooth transition from the Centre’s programming to employment are being explored, and the Centre will continue to serve as a networking platform for the young participants.
The Government of Myanmar, Development Partners, and private companies have shown great interest in the Centre of Excellence as a model for private-public partnerships in Myanmar and expressed admiration for the Centre’s programme and vision.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $66 billion in net revenue in 2013, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth in shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.
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