Camp ComCo mentorship program open for Filipino creative apprentices

Emerging communications powerhouse ComCo Southeast Asia has opened the 11th cycle of its award-winning Camp ComCo Mentorship Program. A Gold Anvil Award winner for Specialized Public Relations (PR) Program at the 54th PRSP (Public Relations Society of the Philippines) Anvil Awards, Camp ComCo is now in search for its new creative rebels / apprentices to join its ranks and push the boundaries of the global practices and emerging disciplines of New PR and smart social.Upholding new PR and smart social to the new generationBuilt by the agency’s pool of experts, Camp ComCo Mentorship Program is an intensive and comprehensive talent incubation initiative, industry linkage course, and apprenticeship program designed to transform communication, marketing, and multimedia arts students and fresh graduates into revolutionary practitioners of the industry.Presented in three phases, Skills Calibration, Strategic Communications Immersion and Specialization Elective, the Camp ComCo curriculum is facilitated by ComCo Southeast Asia’s pool of marketing and communication experts and its network of industry practitioners in the region. Camp ComCo gives participants the opportunity to interact with experts in the field, work on actual communication projects, and learn about the latest trends in the industry. On its third year, The Camp ComCo Mentorship Program was able to graduate 39 apprentices from 10 cycles, all of which hailing from various colleges and universities, such as University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Trinity University of Asia, University of Perpetual Help Dalta, and Treston International Colleges, among others.Most Camp ComCo graduates are now doing communications, marketing, and digital work in ComCo Southeast Asia and other companies as well as government institutions. They are also pursuing graduate studies, and teaching in universities, passing on what they learned in school and the camp. Those who joined ComCo SEA have worked on groundbreaking projects for brands and organizations like AirAsia, SM Cinema, Lamoiyan Corporation, Eastern Communications, Pioneer Insurance, WWF and World Vision. They have garnered industry recognition in the Philippines and abroad from prestigious award-giving bodies such as IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) Quill Awards, Anvil Awards, PR Asia Awards, Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, Marketing Event Awards in Singapore, and MarCom Awards in the USA.Origins of the program“Camp ComCo is a result of what I witnessed in my career journey, the best practices in the region and the worst conditions around us. Running the Camp takes time and is an extra effort for us, but we are committed to doing this as the advocacy is something we take to heart. We are a believer that it is not solely the school that defines the life-long craft of a student, but more importantly it’s the kind of apprenticeship he will experience – the jumping board of what his life’s work will be,” says Ferdinand Bondoy, regional integration and chief executive director of ComCo SEA and creator of Camp ComCo Mentorship Program.“We want that experience to be extremely valuable and memorable to an apprentice because, not only the agency, brands, and industry will benefit from it, but in combined little ways, the society we take part of.”The Camp ComCo experienceCamp ComCo is structured to make the internship experience more memorable. Janela Bufi from Ateneo de Manila University and Camp ComCo Cycle 5, now senior brand communications Associate of ComCo SEA says, “My stay was so different from other internships, doing actual work that mattered.”Justin Harvey Llamosa, from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Camp ComCo Cycle 1, now executive initiatives officer of ComCo SEA, says, “Camp ComCo totally made me realize that what I learned in school is just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of things that should be learned and the camp helped me learn it through practice, training, and coaching which paved the path for me to become an expert in the field.”Enki San Jose, from Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Camp ComCo Cycle 6, learned two important takeaways from the Camp. She says, “First, they molded me into a multi-faceted communications practitioner, training me to become a chameleon when it comes to media. Second, ComCo has taught me to value and practice professionalism, above all.”The culture of ComCo SEA is reflected in how the Camp operates. “The culture [of the Camp] is very liberal, refraining from the toxic seriousness of a conventional office day,” notes Matthew Escosia, from Trinity University of Asia and Camp ComCo Cycle 10, now brand communications associate of ComCo SEA.Camp ComCo is now looking for creative rebels that will form its 11th cycle. Applicants can email inquiries to commandcenter@comco-hq.com. To know more about the camp, click www.linkedin.com/company/comco-hq on LinkedIn and @comco_sea on Instagram and Twitter.