2nd sem kicks off with Internship Orientation and Expo to packed audience
Almost 1,500 excited students from 11 colleges and institutes filled the UMak Performing Arts Theater to capacity to participate in the University-wide Internship Orientation and Expo on January 23, 2025.
Internship and graduating students from the College of Business and Financial Science, College of Computing and Information Sciences, College of Construction Sciences and Engineering, College of Engineering Technology (formerly College of Technology Management), College of Governance and Public Policy, College of Human Kinetics, College of Innovative Teacher Education, College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Institute of Accountancy, Institute of Arts and Design, and Institute of Psychology joined the event, making them the biggest post-pandemic onsite audience of the Internship Orientation.
The students who could not be accommodated to the onsite event and/or want to watch again may access the recorded video of the Student-Internship Orientation and Expo on UMak’s YouTube channel.
To receive their Certificates of Attendance to the event, they should answer the Feedback Form (OPEN UNTIL FEBRUARY 23, 2025 ONLY) by going to this link: https://tinyurl.com/CLP-OJT-Orientation-Feedback
Organized every semester by the Center for Linkages and Placement (CLP), under the Office of the University Secretary, the orientation is designed to equip student interns with a comprehensive and interactive briefing on essential internship or on-the-job training (OJT) guidelines and requirements, including updates on systems, procedures, and deployment statistics from the CLP team.
The event is supported by the Center for Student Formation and Discipline (CSFD), under the Office of the Vice President for Student Services and Community Development. It provides CSFD with an occasion to give the incoming interns a crucial supplementary briefing on student conduct and work ethics when they apply and during the actual training before they head off to their training venues.
More recently, the mini expo has been added as a side event to facilitate the OJT hunt of students who do not have a host training establishment (HTE) yet. Selected reputable and qualified companies who signified interest were invited to set up their merchandising booths at the entrance of the event venue and give a brief presentation to the students during the program, not only as an internship option but also as a possible long-term job opportunity in both the local and international settings.
University Secretary Juvy Hermosura set the tone of the event with her opening message, congratulating the incoming interns for reaching the last phase of their college life and soon graduating with a degree, but she also discussed how an internship can be “both exciting and challenging.” She emphasized that internship should not be taken for granted because it not only serves as the first training ground for a future career, giving a hint of actual work realities. If one performs well, it is also a foot in the door to a promising job offer with the company.
Later in the afternoon, Vice President for Student Services and Community Development Virgilio Tabbu administered the Internship Consent and Agreement Oath and gave the Send-Off Message to motivate the incoming student interns. He observed they have indeed reached the “highlight” of their academic life – the beginning of their internship with a clear vision of where it will lead. He was confident that UMak has taught them well to put into action what they have learned in the classroom to the workplace.
“Bawal sumuko!”, the Vice President firmly advised the students. He said that while there may be challenges, giving up should not be an option. He announced that the Center for Athletic Development (CAD) will be organizing a Stress Management activity at the football field as a way for students to release tension and stress towards the midterm period when stress among students usually starts building up.
The guest speaker was CSFD Director Pompeyo C. Adamos III who discussed workplace behavior and student rights, emphasizing the importance of respect, teamwork, and professionalism, by reviewing provisions from the UMak Student Handbook and the Safe Spaces Act, and citing other related Philippine laws. He reminded students that, “OJT is an extension of the classroom.” Therefore, during their deployment interns must be mindful of their actions while knowing their rights and responsibilities, as well as the expectations of their employers and colleagues.
CLP Director Cynthia Margaretta Jose introduced their center, what it does, and the people behind the center and their roles. She gave an overview of the most important provisions of Commission on Higher Education Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 104, series of 2017, which mainly governs the student internship program in the Philippines, plus CMO No. 4, series of 2023 on the updated guidelines for onsite learning including onsite internship. A summary of the deployment and performance statistics of last year’s interns was also presented so that the incoming interns are made aware of the challenges and may be able to address them with the help of their college advisers, to minimize deployment attrition and improve training performance. 
The rest of the CLP team completed the discussion on the internship process and other activities, Placement Coordinator Ronald De Leon explained the deployment guidelines, process flow, and requirements, highlighting the pre-deployment and post-deployment document requirements which sometimes delay the release of the internship clearance if the correct process is not complied with.
Linkages Coordinator Diana Marie Bolo explained the critical process of contract review for a non-templated Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), guiding students on the process step-by-step and stressing that requirements must be completed on time to ensure a smooth process. On the other hand, Linkages Coordinator Mary Love Operio focused on the processing of templated MOAs, guiding students on how to edit the template to incorporate the training partner’s information and advising students to carefully review and edit their MOAs so they know what is expected from them and they can do their part of the agreement. Placement and Event Coordinator Erikka Vargas led the open forum and announced the upcoming CLP events, i.e., UMak Career Forum on April 2, 2025 and UMak Mega Job Fair on May 8-9, 2025. 
Organizations are increasingly recognizing the value of internships. Companies such as Brainlight Learning Center (an enrichment center focusing on Singapore Math), Concentrix (biggest global business provider in the country), Global Transco ICT Solutions (innovative solutions in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and software development), Petnet Forex Solutions (global cash, loan, and foreign exchange services), Seda Residences Makati (serviced apartments under Ayala Land Hotels and Resorts), Sunnyday 360 (comprehensive marketing and branding solutions, and Racing R Car Accessories (leading supplier and distributor of car accessories and automotive parts) participated as sponsor presenters and exhibitors giving the event a more festive mood.
In keeping with UMak’s global vision, CLP has sustained the theme of “Towards Global Excellence: Navigating the New Employment Landscape” to encapsulate the dynamic journey that UMak interns and graduating students face as they navigate the ever-evolving and increasingly international, intercultural, and global job market.
The Internship Orientation and Expo is the first module of a three-part placement experience for UMak internship and graduating students which will hopefully lead to lucrative and long-term employment and rewarding and sustainable careers!
Written by: Rosemarie Laxamana
