Global City Innovative College

GCIC: Campus of the Future
By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Globalization has taken over the world and borders between nations have blurred creating a single global village. The continuing challenge of keeping abreast with the trends and demands of a modern economy is a task that rests upon the shoulders of educational institutions; in whose halls the provision of training and mentoring for the future workforce of the world takes place.
The Global City Innovative College (GCIC), a private collegiate institution, responds upon the challenge head on. It began in 2002 when a group of entrepreneurs joined together to establish the first tertiary education center in what was then the Fort Bonifacio Special Economic Zone. It is non-denominational, co-educational, and primarily serves the students near its geographical community.
GCIC started with 500 students concentrated mostly on their Nursing program, the most lucrative profession then, before the demand plummeted to its all-time low. This global scenario made them realize to set their sights on other ventures with a growing demand not just locally but internationally as well.
Today, at two years shy of its first decade in service, it has become a full-pledged college that offers a total of eight baccalaureate degrees that includes Business (with majors in Marketing, Finance, and HR), Education (in Early Childhood, Secondary Education, English or SPED), Caregiving, Nursing, Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts. For school year 2010, GCIC will be introducing two new programs in their course offerings: Tourism and Information Technology.
“Our school's Nursing curriculum is specifically designed to prepare us students for the local Board of Nursing examinations and foreign exams like the NCLEX, CGNFS, TOEFL and TSE for global competency,” said Miss Earth 2004 Priscilla Meirelles, a freshman BS Nursing student.
The Commission of Higher Education has currently ranked GCIC as the 9th in its list of Top Nursing Schools operating in the National Capital Region (NCR). On the other hand, the Professional Business Studies program allows students to do their business internship in affiliated institutions abroad (US, Australia, China and Singapore) as part of their Global Business Entrepreneurial Immersion Program. Local internships are done in partnership with top corporations and multinational companies in the country.
Their Diploma for Culinary arts program combines several methods of teaching that includes hands-on sessions, classroom instruction, field trips, career development seminars and chef monitoring among others. Curriculum subjects include classical cooking, international cuisine, Asian cuisine, baking and pastry, and the more practical side like restaurant and catering business, safety & sanitation, cost control, nutrition, and event management.
“My life revolves around showbiz so I did not imagine I could pursue my passion for cooking through GCIC Culinary. I particularly love the way chefs and instructors mentor their students. Now, I feel more confident that even if I leave the entertainment business, I will still have a career; though this time, in the kitchen,” declared culinary student Angelica Panganiban.
Students also benefit from mentoring with renowned chefs like Rolando Laudico and Sau del Rosario. The students also intern at the chef's restaurants Bistro Filipino and Chelsea, respectively. Other food outlets include M Cafe and Guava as well as hotels like Discovery Suites and Shangri-La Makati.
“Life skills add a different yet relevant flavor to a seemingly common program offering. Most culinary schools highlight their facilities, faculty profile, curricula and methods of teaching, partnership programs, and career pathways as their strengths. Here, we have all these but moreover, we believe that the purpose of education is not just simply to learn to earn a living, but to live life to its fullest. Our success lies in the unity, cooperation and combined efforts of the faculty, students, parents, administrators, and our valued shareholders,” apprised marketing head JB Bolanos.
Each of the degree programs have carefully selected faculty based on the value of their industry exposure, leadership, communication efficacy supported by their academic achievements and psychological preparation to teach. Their facilities are state-of-the-art like their mini-hospital where Nursing students are able to practice their skills in a simulated environment. They also have fully-equipped laboratories as the chem lab, computer center and instrumentation lab.
GCIC has the flexibility of adapting to the changing needs of the times balanced with the good solid foundation of the olden years. “We want our students to be successful not only in their professions but in life as well. We don't just teach our students competency but also build in them positive characters as well. We'd like to take away the notion that since we are located in a prime industrial site that we're expensive; far from it! We offer value-for-money education. Parents can always compare and actually see the difference.
“The location of the school at the heart of Fort Bonifacio is very ideal; close to commercial establishments and the entire business district. Together with top restaurants, medical institutions like St. Luke's Hospital, and the soon-to-open Shangri-La Hotel, its location plays an integral role in the whole educational experience. Students are assured of a safe, secure, clean and uncongested environment with us. Our school activities are merged with that of the Fort's business community like Mother's Day or Chinese New Year. Thus, we interact with the community really well. One of the things that sets us apart is our instruction of a subject called Life that students from all levels enroll each year. It teaches universal principles on how to get by life in general. These are non-religious precepts yet very practical for daily living. This is proudly one of our innovations,” informed the school's president Engr. Michael Tan.
GCIC is what schools of the future are made of. Anticipating the needs of society, it prepares students not only for the immediate demands of the present but also for the long-term needs unto the times yonder.
For more information, simply log-on to www.gcic.edu.ph or visit the school's campus at the 3rd Level of Bonifacio Technology Center. It's on a yellow painted edifice at the corner of 31st Street and 2nd Avenue inside the sprawling Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. You may also get in touch with the school registrar through tel. nos. 757-5588 to 91 and 818-0945 to 46; mobile # 0917-8815252 and/or visit their Web site, www.gcic.edu.ph.

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