Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, in cooperation with Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW cars in the Philippines recently held the inauguration ceremony of the Jose Ch. Alvarez (JCA) Technology Complex. The JCA Technology Complex, the new home of Xavier University Center for Integrated Technologies (XU-CIT), is set to be the leading institution for technical education in Northern Mindanao.

The establishment of the JCA Technology Complex falls under the partnership that ACC made with Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan to bring BMW’s expertise to the students of Mindanao.

“The JCA Technology Complex was conceived out of the need to respond to today’s competitive labor landscape. We need an institution that will train our students in the latest technologies to become top-level technicians, helping them to be part of a competent labor force both here and abroad. This facility hopes to realize that,” said Mr. Alvarez.

Leading the inauguration event were ACC Chairman Jose Ch. Alvarez together with Fr. Roberto C. Yap SJ, president of Xavier University, and Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro, Fr. Antonio J. Ledesma SJ. The JCA Technology Complex will be offering extensive skills development programs and the most advanced technical courses and modules aimed at developing technical skills of deserving Filipino students, training them to become the best technicians in the field of Industrial and Commercial Technologies.

Built on a 2.3-hectare lot inside the Xavier University, the P72.3-million modern technological education facility invested by ACC features training classrooms, laboratories and workshops, a canteen, a library, an auditorium, as well as administration offices, and other utilities and services.

The JCA Technology Complex will also be leveraging on the advanced technologies and innovations of BMW itself so students are guaranteed to have a first-hand training experience from the industry’s best.

It will also feature its latest course offering, the Automotive Technology, where students will have the option to undergo training at different BMW dealerships, and eventually have the opportunity to be absorbed in the company. ACC, through the support of its regional office, BMW Asia, will also be donating advanced training modules that will be incorporated in the curriculum of the school.

At present, around 600 students are enrolled in XU-CIT, but with the newly constructed JCA Technology Complex, the number of student population is expected to grow more.

“I personally believe in the value of having a good education and recognize the talent of the Filipino youth and their need for progressive educational institutions. The new JCA Technology Complex hopes to not only cater to the technical skills requirement of Cagayan de Oro and the whole of Northern Mindanao; it also hopes to produce technical specialists who exhibit strong technical skills and leadership qualities, all founded on a strong sense of concern to the community,” said Mr. Alvarez.