AboitizPower forging the future of next generation energy leaders

AboitizPower is forging the future by creating the next generation of energy leaders, investing in the education of the youth who will continue to ensure that businesses in the Philippines will always have a reliable energy source.

The company knows that investing in infrastructure and equipment is just part of the solution, and investing in people, honing their knowledge, skills, and experience, would keep both infrastructure and equipment continuously running for the next generation.

This approach is reflected in the company’s continued investment in technical talent development, which includes its Cadetship Program and operationalizing the Global Technical Center of Excellence (GTCOE), a joint learning and development (L&D) hub between JERA and AboitizPower.

Building the people behind the power

The Cadetship Program gives engineering graduates a structured early career pathway into the power industry, combining technical training with hands-on experience at AboitizPower Transition Business Group’s (TBG) generation facilities.

The program is open to engineering graduates across the country, including those from regional universities and partner schools, allowing TBG to widen the pool of talent it develops and create more opportunities in the regions where it operates.

"The Cadetship Program is designed as one connected talent journey. We start by understanding the workforce capabilities our sites will need from our Human Resource Business Partners, then work with our Talent Attraction team to bring in the right talent and select candidates who can grow into those needs," Technical Academy Manager Aldren Ribalde said.

The latest batch of 12 engineering graduates will begin the six-month program on September 21, following a two-day face-to-face hiring event in Toledo City and Cebu City that drew 27 candidates from Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical, and Electronics Engineering backgrounds.

"Investing in people means creating opportunities for talent wherever it can be found. We want to reach engineers from regional universities and partner schools, develop their capabilities, and give them a pathway to build careers in the power industry,” said Melissa Dizon, Talent Attraction Manager at AboitizPower. "As our operations continue to grow across different regions, we also want to continue growing the talent pool that can support them."

This approach is particularly relevant as AboitizPower continues to operate and grow across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Developing talent in these areas allows the company to build a pipeline closer to its generation facilities while giving young engineers opportunities to develop careers in the regions where they live and work.

From opportunity to capability

Creating opportunities is only one part of the investment. AboitizPower also puts significant emphasis on giving young engineers the technical foundation to succeed.

The GTCOE serves as JERA and AboitizPower’s global technical L&D hub, bringing Filipino and Japanese engineers together to develop capabilities in power plant operations, maintenance, safety, and emerging energy technologies.

As part of the Cadetship Program, cadets spend three weeks at GTCOE, learning alongside their JERA counterparts from Japan before moving into plant-specific training and on-the-job training in their respective sites. This experience gives them both a common technical foundation and exposure to different operating practices across AboitizPower and JERA.

"We want our cadets to understand that becoming a power professional is not only about building technical competence. It is about developing the whole engineer—the mindset, discipline, ownership, and behaviors that enable them to apply what they know responsibly and effectively," said Engr. Mayshelle Rosario, GTCOE Director.

"GTCOE provides the common foundation, but the real development happens as they bring that learning into the workplace, learn from actual operating conditions, and work alongside the people who keep our power facilities safe, reliable, and efficient."

Since September 2025, four GTCOE cohorts have produced 96 graduates from the Basic Operations and Maintenance Program, comprising 58 AboitizPower cadets and 38 JERA participants. More broadly, the center has provided training and capability development to approximately 2,000 AboitizPower and JERA participants since its launch.

An investment that grows with the business

As the company continues to grow across the country, it also continues to build the talent pipeline that will support its operations, drawing from a wider pool of engineers, developing their capabilities, and eventually deploying them where they are needed.

The investment is ultimately about more than filling positions. It is about creating pathways for people to learn, grow, and build careers alongside the business, while developing the capabilities needed to sustain the assets that power a country.