The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Central Luzon continues to ramp up the provision of technical skills training to the public in order to enhance employability.
TESDA Regional Director Baron Jose Lagran said one of their priorities is the strengthening of the enterprise-based training (EBT), or programs that are developed within companies and firms.
“This initiative aims to address the skills gaps needed by the industries in the region by immersing students in the real-world setting and having a large percentage of their training done in the industries,” he explained.
The agency continues to go to industries, especially computer-related and technology-based industries to see what is lacking in terms of what the TESDA training centers are doing, analyze these, and become the basis for the crafting of competency standards.
“Just last August, we had a meeting with Clark Development Corporation because it was seen that the training in aviation MRO [maintenance, repair, and overhaul] of our aircrafts is not in line with the needs of the industries. Representatives from our training centers and airline companies were also there to review our requirements and assess the technical capacity needs, and based on the assessment, we took immediate action for our ways forward,” Lagran shared.
These tie-ups with private corporations for the apprenticeship of their scholars is one way to ensure that they will be immediately hired by these companies after graduation based on their performance.
He also said that before a school’s program is registered, the Standards Office of TESDA thoroughly studies whether the curriculum fits the needs of the industry.
However, Lagran said that with the speed of time and technology that exists in the world, there are too many gaps in training to meet the needs of the industry, that is why they are ramping up EBT.
Among the skills training programs provided by TESDA are agriculture and fishery-related, cookery, housekeeping, welding, heavy equipment operation, driving, and information technology, among others.
TESDA also offers various scholarships including the Training for Work Scholarship Program, Private Education Student Financial Assistance, Special Training for Employment Program, Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, Rice Extension Services, and Tulong Trabaho Scholarship Program.
These scholarships aim to aid the scholars to acquire employment opportunities that suit the skill set they have, especially now that the labor market is looking for skilled workers.
“The training of our countrymen will be a great pillar of the economy in the future. If almost all Filipinos are technically capable because of what we are doing at TESDA, it will not take a long time and a lot of expenses. We provide these training so that you can be prepared for the jobs that our country and the whole world will need in the future,” Lagran said.
For more information on the different training programs of TESDA and the list of requirements, interested individuals may visit www.tesda.gov.ph or their Facebook page at TESDA Region III. They may also contact 09177079324 or 09478973348. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3, Pampanga)