The Cagayan State University on Monday signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the SM Downtown Tuguegarao to assist its about 5,000 student on-the-job trainees and graduates this year to be equipped with apprenticeships and employed at a job fair here.

Dr. Theresa Dimalanta, CSU Andrews campus executive director, said they forged the agreement with SM to help their alumni during and after their stay with the university.

“The CSU graduates have the opportunities to be equipped with their competencies and later have jobs through job fairs,” she told the Philippine News Agency in an interview shortly after the signing of the MOA.

The agreement was signed by Dimalanta, SM Downtown mall manager Romel Uy, CSU main campus vice president for partnership and research mobilization Giged Battung, and SM City assistant mall manager Kristine Ceballos, binding the institutions to work together and offer opportunities for graduates.

The agreement has established a partnership through internship program, recruitment, job placement and learning sessions.

The graduates would gain opportunities to know various job vacancies from partner-companies and affiliates and later land jobs, Uy said.

“The SM Supermalls has been registered as the top employment generators not only in Tuguegarao City but also nationwide. The CSU alumni are with us and they are part of the SM Tuguegarao families,” he added.

The day-long job fair on Monday is expected to cater to about 500 applicants, mainly from the Cagayan State University. (PNA)