THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has vowed to better enhance its technical vocational (tech-voc) programs in 2023 to meet the needs, demands and expectations of industries and learners.
Said government agency is fully cognizant of the jobs mismatch concern in the country, wherein the skills or educational background of an employee are not completely aligned with the requirements of a certain position.
According to Tesda Director General Danilo P. Cruz, the nation’s tech-voc education and training (TVET) must be rebranded to improve its image and perception among the youth, parents and employers.
“[The agency] needs to intensify the promotion of TVET as a viable path for postsecondary education,” he said in a recent media interview.
Accordingly, the agency will implement innovative programs such as the nationwide roll out of e-certificates, institutionalization of microcredentialing and recognition of prior learning, plus the possible addition of its Registry of Certified Workers with the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) PhilJobNet.
Likewise, the official said they will continue pursuing the establishment of innovation hubs, while expanding both the Tesda Online Program and the Enterprise-Based Training sessions to back up sectors being prioritized by the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
These include agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, health, information technology and business-process management, creative industries, energy, and construction.
“There is a challenge to pursue transformation for Philippine TVET to remain resilient, accessible and inclusive,” Cruz pointed out. “Everything must be digitalized and automated to keep up with the ever-changing requirements of…industries.”
Together with the DOLE and the Department of Trade and Industry, he also disclosed that they will form a mechanism that will give job facilitation and technical assistance to TVET graduates.
“We will encourage more partnerships with organizations and other government agencies to [help improve] the employability and working conditions of our graduates, and eventually help address the job-skills mismatch in the country,” the Tesda chief said.
Despite a cut on their budget next year, Cruz assured that they will still keep on developing and holding training programs for tech-voc learners.