Cebu Pacific, the country’s leading carrier, has completed the first internship cycle under its partnership with De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), giving Deaf students practical experience in a professional work environment.
Under a Memorandum of Agreement with the college’s School of Deaf Education and Applied Studies (SDEAS), three Deaf students joined hearing students from other colleges and universities in Cebu Pacific’s FLY (Find the Leader in You) Internship Program from June 8 to August 14, completing 360 hours of on-the-job training.
FLY is the airline's internship program for college undergraduates, providing hands-on learning opportunities across the airline’s operations. The three SDEAS interns were assigned to the Customer Service Operations–Cabin Operations team, where they supported day-to-day functions while gaining firsthand experience in the aviation industry.
The partnership with SDEAS, a pioneering institution in Deaf education in the Philippines, gives Deaf students an opportunity to experience a professional work environment as they prepare for their future careers.
“We're excited to welcome our students from DLS-CSB to Cebu Pacific and learn alongside them. Internships are often a person's first step into the workforce, and we want that experience to be meaningful, supportive, and empowering. We hope this partnership helps open more doors for Deaf professionals and encourages more organizations to recognize the value that diverse talent brings to the workplace,” said Felix Lopez, Cebu Pacific Chief Human Resources Officer, at the start of the internship program in June.
Preparing the Workplace for Inclusion
Ahead of the interns’ arrival, SDEAS conducted a Deaf Awareness Session for Cebu Pacific employees to help create a more inclusive working environment. The session covered Deaf culture, inclusive communication, and workplace accessibility, giving employees practical guidance for engaging and collaborating with Deaf colleagues.
Opening More Paths to the Workplace
The pilot program supports Cebu Pacific’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to create meaningful opportunities for Deaf professionals and other persons with disabilities.
By combining workplace experience for students with awareness training for employees, the program also gave Cebu Pacific an opportunity to strengthen inclusive practices within its own teams and consider how the workplace can better support people with different communication needs.
For more information on Cebu Pacific, visit cebupacificair.com
