IN PHOTO: 18 trainees from Jollibee Group Foundation’s ACE Program celebrated the culmination of the pilot Supervised Industry Learning for Quick Service Restaurant Operations via a graduation ceremony held last January 15 at Maayo Hotel in Mandaue City. The graduates were endorsed to apply for employment at their respective stores, giving them a chance to continue their journey with the Jollibee Group.

MANDAUE CITY, PHILIPPINES. 14 February 2025 — More than a dozen Cebuano youth successfully completed a food service training program under Jollibee Group Foundation Inc.’s (JGF), Access, Curriculum, and Employability (ACE) Scholarship Program, which was run in collaboration with the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) and Primary Structures Educational Foundation, Inc. – School of Knowledge for Industrial Labor, Leadership, and Service (PSEFI-SKILLS).

Eighteen (18) ACE scholars, who were previously youth not in employment, education, and training, were endorsed for employment in Jollibee, Chowking, and Greenwich stores in Cebu, giving them a chance to immediately apply their learnings from the program and continue their journey with the Jollibee Group.

“We celebrate the achievement of our 18 scholars, who have shown remarkable determination to learn during their six-month exposure,” shared Ruth Angeles, JFC Philippines Chief Human Resources Officer and Jollibee International HR Head. “As a global restaurant company with proudly Filipino roots, we will continue to do our part to provide more opportunities for the youth to gain meaningful employment.”

Charlene Revelleza, 19 years old, is among the graduates of the program. In her earnest desire to help her parents, she was turned down by different companies and eventually found a job assisting in laundry. When she heard about the opportunity to be a JGF ACE scholar, she did not hesitate to grab it.

“Kahit na ako ay kumikita na sa pagiging labandera, hindi ko pinalagpas ang pagkakataong

maging ACE scholar. Napakagandang opportunity na kami ay makapag-aral ng food and beverage training at mabigyan ng hands-on training sa Jollibee.” [Even if I was earning money doing laundry, I did not pass on the opportunity to be an ACE Scholar. It is a good opportunity for us to have food and beverage training, and to have hands-on experience at Jollibee], shared Revelleza.

The ACE Scholarship Program involved working with store managers and crew members in select Jollibee, Chowking, and Greenwich stores in Cebu City to learn customer service, food handling, and other operational procedures. It includes a series of learning sessions in the Food and Beverage Services National Certificate (NC II) qualification and an Inventory Management Module conducted by PSEFI-SKILLS.

Reflecting on her experience, Revelleza says the program provided her with not only technical abilities, but also the mindset of hard effort, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn. “Dahil sa oportunidad na ito, masisimulan ko na ang pagkamit ng iba ko pang mga pangarap para sa akin at sa aking pamilya.” [Thanks to this opportunity, I can begin to achieve my dreams for both myself and my family], Revelleza continued.

“We are glad to participate in this multi-sectoral effort to address youth unemployment through our ACE Scholarship Program,” shared Gisela Tiongson, President of Jollibee Group Foundation Inc. “By investing in the youth, we are not only helping them secure a brighter future but also empowering the next generation to be the leaders of our country.”

“Partnerships between technical vocational schools and companies such as the Jollibee Group are vital to equipping the youth with the skills and experience they need to secure meaningful employment,” shared Ms. Paulette D. Liu, President and COO of PSEFI-SKILLS. “We are thankful for our partnership with the Jollibee Group and Jollibee Group Foundation, whose support helps us fulfill our mission of training globally competent Filipino workers.”