Nickel Asia Corporation (NAC) and De La Salle University (DLSU) have formalized a partnership to launch the NAC START Internship Program in 2026, aimed at preparing students for sustainable careers in the mining sector.
The initiative will blend academic training with field experience, producing graduates who can address the industry’s technical, environmental, and social challenges. The collaboration was sealed through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), marking the first of its kind for both NAC and DLSU.
Dr. Ron R. Resurrecion, Director of DLSU’s Student Success Center, welcomed the partnership, emphasizing its shared focus on sustainability and inclusion.
“I am excited for the partnership because of the values. I think DLSU has the same values as NAC because we both advocate for the environment and sustainability, and I am also happy to hear that the company is an advocate for inclusion not just in gender, but also indigenous people. I believe DLSU is also going towards that direction, toward sustainability and inclusion,” he said.
For NAC, the program is an opportunity to highlight the broader relevance of its operations to future professionals.
“I think that this partnership is a good opportunity for up-and-coming professionals to see howthe industry contributes to sustainability,” said NAC Vice President for Human Resources Ma.Fatima Mijares.
“It’s very important for young people not just to see the operational aspect of a company’soperations, but also the social relevance of what we do,” Mijares added.
Can industry-academe partnerships redefine how we build a responsible and future-ready mining workforce?
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