Jomel Legaspi urged his fellow student leaders to do what they love, know their purpose, and grab all the opportunities ahead as he got the seventh spot on the “Top 30” of the Junior Tourism and Hospitality Management Association of the Philippines (JTHMAP) Apprenticeship Program 2022 representing the University of Baguio - School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management (UB-SIHTM).
Among the 90 delegates from 77 participating schools nationwide, Legaspi took courage in joining the said event despite being his very first time representing the university in a nationwide event.
“Do you. Do what you love. Because if you do what you love, everything will fall into place. You’ll be able to find allies who are willing to lift you every time, you’ll be able to create programs connected to your advocacies, and you’ll be able to widen your horizon about what you love. So do you. Do what you love. Because if you do what you love, you start to love what you do. And when you love what you do, you become what you love,” Legaspi said.
He said he was a little hesitant about joining the program since he was working on weekdays from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., making it only the evening until dawn for him to attend meetings, read and respond to messages, and do the weekly tasks in the event. Yet, he didn't consider his job and hesitations as hindrances in joining the training workshop because he loves what it is about – leadership. He also stated that as a leader, he is a courageous risk-taker.
As such, Legaspi bravely joined the JTHMAP Apprenticeship Program which is a five-Saturday Online Leadership and Academic Competency Training workshop held annually since 2020 that aims to help develop and discover Tourism and Hospitality student leaders’ leadership potential through the various interactive webinars and weekly activities.
Relating to a north star, Legaspi is very thankful to everyone— his family, friends, instructors, Dean, and other supporters— who served as his guide throughout his JTHMAP Apprenticeship Program 2022 journey. This includes SIHTM faculty member, Ms. Rachel Grace Liclican, who guided him to the JTHMAP Apprenticeship Program alongside Jane Elegado, the JTHMAP J-List 2022 Top 8.
Every week of the JTHMAP Apprenticeship Program 2022, from the second up to the fourth week, organizers designated delegates to several groups to do the weekly activity. Each week, the top three groups are given a Camper Badge. During the second and fourth week of the event, Legaspi’s Boot Camp Groups received a Camper Badge for being one of the top three groups during the said weeks. The spirit of collaboration pervaded their atmosphere and was what bound them. They already came up with excellent output, making them part of the outstanding groups.
Legaspi’s passion for service, love for leadership, and authenticity made him ace the fifth week: the exit interview.
“I was able to perform an initiative which is the Salun-at Iti Mannalon which aims to help farmers here in our locality in Isabela to have equipment for their farming and hygiene kits. There, I am performing my leadership skills, and with that initiative, I have found people who have the same goal as mine, which is to help. And I want to extend my leadership skills and love for leading by being an apprentice of JTHMAP,” Legaspi responded to one of the interviewers during the Exit Interview.
Legaspi, being the JTHMAP Apprenticeship Program 2022 Top 7, is one of the Treasury Team Apprentices of the national organization.
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