Leading integrated telco network PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc (Smart) welcomed Senior High School students from St John's Academy, Inc (SJAI) to the PLDT-Smart Technology Laboratory (TechnoLab) during the latest Academe Tech Tour, Alma Mater edition, broadening the students' horizons about their possible future careers.

The students, who came all the way from Dinalupihan, Bataan, toured the Technology Laboratory facility situated at the Smart Tower in Makati City, where PLDT and Smart explore and test cutting-edge network solutions, such as 5G SA, fiber related Tech, and cloud native technologies, along with future innovations like fully autonomous network and next-generation fixed and wireless communication systems, all designed to enhance connectivity, efficiency, and overall customer experience.

During the tour, the participants learned about Network Disaggregation, Cloudification, Automation, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Extended Reality (XR), Private 5G, Smart Home and other new and upcoming communications and connectivity solutions not available yet in the market that the PLDT Group is testing.

SJAI alumnus Jon Ervir Cabiling, Smart Solutions Architect Supervisor and Officer-in-Charge of Technolab, encouraged the students to take interest in the new technologies demonstrated during the tour.

"The Technolab is a center for emerging and cutting-edge technologies, as well as a venue for partnership and collaboration. We hope that this tour will inspire our students to explore their possible career paths after senior high school," Cabiling said.

Vincent L. Santos, SHS Academic Coordinator of SJAI, accompanied the batch of Grade 11 and Grade 12 students on this exposure trip. "Most of them want to pursue IT-related courses when they get to college. These trips are very important as they would give them the perspective, and help them reflect about their possible career options in the coming years," he said.

Among the students who visited was 17-year-old Joseph Calvin Mallari. "It was a very informative visit. What really excited me the most was being able to try gadgets (like the AR and VR goggles) that I used to only hear about," he said.

This event is in line with PLDT and Smart's goal to help foster a culture of innovation among young people through tighter collaboration with the academe.

Spearheaded by the PLDT and Smart Network Strategy and Transformation Office (NSTO), the Alma Mater edition of Technolab Academe Tech Tour aims to connect students with alumni who are working for the Group, in order to build a sense of community and pride, and to inspire students who are looking for successful role models, particularly in the Telecom, IT and Engineering industry and for PLDT and Smart executives and employees to give back to their Alma Mater.

Underscoring the value of promoting STEM education in the country, this activity is also part of PLDT Group's broader initiatives for inclusive learning that help the country achieve UN SDG No. 4: Quality Education. This also strengthens the Group's standing as a premier workplace in the country and is in line with the Company’s purpose to inspire innovation and meaningful connections.