Working students in spotlight as support drive expands nationwide

Insider Spotlight

• National Working Students Day on March 21 is gaining wider attention as advocates push for stronger support systems
• Mapúa Malayan Digital College is expanding its “Step Up sa Pangarap” movement for working students
• Employers and institutions are urged to help close skills gaps through flexible education and upskilling
• A nationwide “Step Up & Go” activity invites Filipinos to walk or run in solidarity with working students
  
  
  

Working students across the Philippines are stepping into the spotlight as educators and employers renew calls for stronger support for those balancing jobs and higher education.

The push comes ahead of National Working Students Day on March 21, which highlights the challenges and contributions of Filipinos who work while pursuing a degree.

Why it matters

A June 2025 briefing paper by the World Economic Forum notes that the Philippines ranks 16th among countries where employers report significant skills gaps and mismatches in the labor market. Companies cite shortages in digital, managerial, and technical skills.

For many working students, that gap underscores a growing reality: determination alone may not be enough to stay competitive in an evolving economy. Access to industry-aligned skills and flexible education is increasingly becoming essential to long-term career mobility. 

The initiative is being promoted by Mapúa Malayan Digital College through its Step Up sa Pangarap movement, launched in 2022 to raise awareness of the hurdles faced by working students. The campaign and related activities were outlined in a recent company release.

“We launched the Step Up sa Pangarap movement in 2022 to increase awareness of the challenges these working students face, especially in today’s evolving job market. As a learning institution, we understand how significant upskilling and flexible education would be for them to secure career and financial success,” says Jenny Chua, vice president of Mapúa Malayan Digital College (MMDC).

What’s happening

This year’s observance includes a nationwide “3.21 Step Up & Go” movement challenge, encouraging Filipinos to walk or run on March 21 while wearing blue to show solidarity with working students.

Participants are encouraged to share their activity online and post messages of support using campaign hashtags.

The movement has also drawn support from several companies and organizations, including Ayala, Globe, GCash, Microsoft, McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, Concentrix, Ubiquity, IQor, the IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines, and the Negros Occidental Provincial Government.

What’s next

MMDC is also expanding programs aimed at working students, including a digital career roadshow connecting learners with industry experts and employers.

The institution is preparing the first State of the Working Student Report to provide stakeholders with deeper insights into the academic and professional needs of Filipino working students.

“The World Economic Forum also shares that 68 percent of Filipino workers need to upskill. We are working hard to bring down that number in the way that we have designed our fully online and flexible curriculum and programs, and the learning experience,” says Dennis Tablante, executive director of MMDC. — Princess Daisy C. Ominga | Corrie S. Narisma