Assessment center for transmission linemen set up

The National Transmission Corp. (TransCo) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the establishment of Cagayan Valley’s first-ever duly licensed transmission linemen’s skill assessment center.

Under the MOA signed by TransCo’s vice president for Luzon Operation and Maintenance Guillermo R. Redoblado and TESDA Provincial Director Manuel B. Hiadan, the assessment center, located inside the TransCo substation compound in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, has been authorized to conduct competency assessment tests to measure a worker’s skills, knowledge, and attitude based on an occupational skills standard for a transmission lineman.

TransCo and TESDA have agreed to share resources, facilities and technical personnel to implement technical screening through a unified system of assessment and certification for transmission linemen.

The MOA cited TransCo’s Bayombong facility for having the technical capability, resources, facilities, and willingness to collaborate with TESDA in promoting middle manpower development.

"For many years now, we have been operating a lineman’s training facility inside our Bayombong substation by utilizing our own personnel as trainors. This assessment center now enables workers to get high quality lineman’s training, competency assessment, and certification in the same venue," Redoblado said.

Hiadan, on the other hand, said this development will help ease the region’s unemployment problem, enhance economic growth, and promote the transfer and acquisition of technology in the area.

In a related development, TransCo announced the energization of a new 50-MVA transformer in its substation in Santiago, Isabela to improve voltage regulation along the Santiago-Cauyan-Ilagan 69-KV transmission line and meet the growing demand of consumers in the province. As a result, the 34 municipalities and three cities in Isabela that are serviced by Isabela Electric Cooperatives I and II are now enjoying more reliable electric service. In the process, TransCo generated savings of about P187,000 by employing its own maintenance and transmission line personnel in Cagayan Valley to complete the project instead of contracting the job to outside laborers.