IGP – A new feature in Professional Development & Work Ethics

In YLDC, we believe that for our students to be successful in their chosen path/ career, it is important for them to choose one that is aligned with their interest and strengths.

For Batch 4, added a new feature into our Professional Development & Work Ethics Curriculum – the Income Generating Project or IGP.  This initiative aims to help the students gain experience and skills in planning, organizing, budgeting, and controlling a project fund raising program.  It is also exposes the students to business development, marketing, sales and entrepreneurship.

Here, the students are guided to identify and create an actual product/ service that they will offer/sell to generate income.  Part of the income will go to YLDC as to generate added fund for the next batch; part of the income will be given to the students.

Batch 4 students were divided into three teams.  Each team conceptualized a product or service that they will offer to the public.  One group made graham balls and called it Sweet Pea Grahams which they believe would be an easy sell during the Christmas season.   Another group decided to reproduce their very own batch shirt.  The third group prepared peanut butter which they named Peanut Better. Aligned with the pun in their product’s name, they planned to make their product more interesting by placing gift tags which contains “hugot-lines” or pick-up lines.

After a few meetings for their product concept and business plan, each group presented their output to the YLDC staff where they received feedback to improve on their plans.  When their proposal was approved, YLDC lent each team a seed fund amounting to PHP 2,500.00.

The week after, students started producing their product.  It was a very good timing as it was the Christmas season.  After two months, students will pay back the seed fund lent to them by YLDC  as well as turn over YLDC’s share on the profit.  They rest of the income, the teams can use to have a merrier Christmas with their family.

This experience has a good opportunity for our students to practice the knowledge and skills they have acquire from their training in YLDC such as:  creating powerpoint presentations, using excel for bookkeeping, dealing with different types of customers, presenting their products, creating sales pitches, among others.

Some of the situations the teams experience were – missed opportunities to be efficient, had confusions in their cash flow due to disorganization, low sales due to lack of assertiveness.  These situations allowed them to gain meaningful lessons learned.

YLDC will continuously work on improving it’s the program to assure the students gain the necessary skills and experience they need to prepare them for their job or their own business.