DepEd chief, Concepcion lead ‘Youthpreneur’ event

MANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Sonny Angara thanked Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion for reaching out to the country’s youth via “Youthpreneur,” the non-profit’s school-based entrepreneurship mentoring program for senior high school students in public schools.

The students became the latest to benefit from the school-based entrepreneurship mentoring program which aims to promote an entrepreneurial mindset and increase financial literacy.

For nearly a year now, the nationwide program has been implemented in several key cities and provinces, including Cebu, Lucena, Laoag, Baguio, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, and several cities in the National Capital Region.

“Being an entrepreneur is not easy. even the most successful businessman started from humble beginnings,” Angara told the more than 500 students gathered at Rizal High School in Pasig City.

He thanked the private sector for helping create an ecosystem that makes it more conducive for young people to become entrepreneurs.

For his part, Concepcion encouraged students to explore entrepreneurship as part of several options after they leave school.

“While you are still in school, think about what you want to be. The skills will come in time,” he said. “You can first look for a job, make your mistakes there, and then that’s the time that you can become an entrepreneur.”

He also encouraged the students to take advantage of digital technology and social media to build businesses by becoming content creators. He also emphasized the importance of mentorship, as he told the students that he himself was mentored by more experienced businessmen when he started his businesses.

“Entrepreneurship is a pathway to empowerment, independence, and self-fulfillment,” said Neil Vincent Sandoval, DepEd OIC for the Bureau of Curriculum Development. “The important role of entrepreneurship cannot be overstated.”

After the forums and discussions, the students convened into smaller groups for dedicated mentoring sessions with Go Negosyo mentors, which comprised veteran entrepreneurship mentors and successful entrepreneurs.