ePLDT recently marked its first year as a Microsoft employer-partner for the Microsoft Enabler Program. This seeks to empower persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the workplace by fostering inclusivity and helping them increase their employability through training and mentorship.
As a Microsoft employer-partner, ePLDT accommodated two students from its accessibility partner Virtualahan to take their internship under the group and acquire the necessary digital skills to help them secure gainful employment.
Rowell Navarro and Alfrey Redd Umali are aspiring graphic artists who have hard-of-hearing conditions. They were trained under ePLDT’s People Experience & Communications Team to hone and contribute their skills in developing creative visuals for the company’s awareness campaign on social sustainability.
“My internship has given me the opportunity to learn more about the company and essentials in Graphic Designing. The team [PWM – People Experience & Communication] gave me advice that was indeed helpful for me to accomplish my tasks more creatively and efficiently,” Navarro shared.
Likewise, Umali expressed his gratitude to ePLDT for the invaluable learning experience he attained as a graphic artist intern, and for the opportunity to support the group in producing short videos and other publicity materials.
“Working with the People Experience & Communication team has been a pleasure as I have gained much practical knowledge about graphic designing and video editing… Thank you again for making my internship a rewarding experience,” Umali said.
ePLDT reflects Microsoft’s commitment to giving utmost importance to building accessibility and a culture of inclusion at work.
The team that assisted Navarro and Umali was encouraged to use a meeting platform with closed-caption capabilities, to convey instructional procedures in text form, and to also attend a sensitivity training organized by Virtualahan to fully equip them towards inclusivity.
“The ePLDT Group is steadfast in its commitment to foster an inclusive working environment that provides opportunities for growth to persons with disabilities. We look forward to assisting more talented individuals through this engagement program with Microsoft,” said Fe Arlene Villanueva-Bassig, ePLDT Group Head for Workplace Management.
Meanwhile, during the launch of the APAC Microsoft Enabler Virtual Hackathon, PLDT Enterprise AVP & Head of Strategic Partnerships and Alliances Fay Ocampo said that as a Microsoft partner, ePLDT’s main goal is to expand their initiatives that foster disability-inclusive workplace within the group.
“Our hearts are full when we on-boarded two Virtualahan interns, Alfrey and Rowell who provided digital creative inputs in ePLDT’s company announcement under the wing and the guidance of People Experience & Communications Team,” Ocampo said.
“Now that we move to the next chapter, we carry on our purpose for having an ever-evolving culture of inclusion which starts by expanding our talent pipeline and connecting job-seeking PWDs in having ICT roles within ePLDT,” she added.