More youth want techvoc courses

MANILA, Philippines - More youth nationwide are interested in taking up technical-vocational (tech-voc) courses, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) reported yesterday.

TESDA director general Guiling Mamondiong is seeking a bigger budget for 2018 so they can provide free training to the growing number of youth who want to take up techvoc courses.

“TESDA continues to request to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to increase its budget so that we could give more scholarships to those who want to avail themselvesof the skills training program,” Mamondiong noted.

TESDA needs up to P24-billion for its skills training program next year.

Last year, 2,269,665 students enrolled in various TESDA training programs nationwide.

Of the number, 2,151,236 students have finished their courses while 1,521,530 others have completed assessment.

A total of 1,398,780 students received their certificates after they passed the assessment TESDA conducted.

From 1995 up to 2016, TESDA recorded a total of 30,621,180 students in various training programs, 25,434,151 of whom finished their courses.

For over two decades, 11,148,144 have received their assessment while 9,167,792 others have been certified.

TESDA is also pushing for the modernization of its regional training centers nationwide so they can provide quality skills training and emergency skills for overseas Filipino workers and other sectors.

TESDA expects to generate the skilled workers needed by booming sectors such as agribusiness, construction, information technology, health and wellness as well as hotel, restaurant and tourism.

Students win in int’l skills competitions

Filipino technical-vocational graduates proved anew that they are better than their counterparts from other countries when they brought home medals from the recently held China International Skills Competition 2017 (CISC).

The Philippines won gold and bronze in the CISC held in Suzhou and Shanghai from June 5 to 9, Mamondiong said.

Joven Hayagan placed first in the IT software solutions for business and Jalanie Dimacaling captured a bronze medal in the Web design development.

“This is a big honor for the Philippines after our contestants won medals in the skills competition. Because of this, we have shown the world that Filipinos are at par with other nationalities in terms of talent and skills,” Mamondiong said.

According to Mamondiong, the international competition aims to uplift the standard of vocational education of world skill members.

More than 400 competitors, experts and world skills members from 35 countries participated in the CISC 2017.

Up to 21 competition and 24 demonstration skills were displayed during the CISC 2017 event in which the Philippines sent only two delegates this year.

Hayagan has given honor to the country through various skills competitions – silver medalist, 11th ASEAN Skills Competition, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2016; gold, Philippine National Skills Competition, 2016; gold, Bicol Regional Skills Competition, 2017; and champion, Province-wide Computer Programming Challenge, 2015.

Dimacaling has also brought recognition to the Philippines via different contests – bronze medalist, 11th ASEAN Skills Competition, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2016; gold, Philippines National Skills Competition, 2016; gold, Regional Skills Competition, 2015 and gold, Baguio and Benguet Skills Competition, 2015.