The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) will hire 3,565 youth mentors for an information technology project for poor Filipinos.

Beginning this month until December, DoLE will hire the mentors for the nationwide computer familiarization project “Kabataan ITo” that will be launched later this month.

"Our regional offices have committed to hire 3,565 information technology youth mentors who will conduct familiarization and appreciation sessions until December. At a ratio of one mentor to two students, about 27,240 young people from the disadvantaged and informal sectors will benefit from these sessions," Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said.

The official noted the preparation of all DoLE offices for the project including the National Reintegration Program for OFWs, the Bureau of Rural Workers and the Bureau of Women and Young Workers.

Roque said they will hold a simultaneous launching of the project on October 21. During the launching date, some 1,507 IT young professionals will be hired to cover 11,666 beneficiaries of the project.

The Kabataan ITo is a special project designed to teach young Filipinos knowledge and skills in basic information technology without need for a formal education setting. The teachers in the project are youth volunteers who have IT knowledge and skills.

The youth volunteers will teach preparatory lessons on computer hardware familiarization, computer operation and MS Word processing application, and a final lesson on the use of the Internet for search and communication. The whole program will last a total of 22 hours.

DoLE regional offices and Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) will be in charge of the recruitment of IT mentors.

"There is a bright future for the knowledgeable and skilled in information technology, and we would like our disadvantaged young people to have a share of this bright future through Kabataan ITo," Roque said.