TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and Accenture Phils. have renewed their partnership for the “Skills to Succeed Academy (S2S Academy)” program aimed at further improving skills of Filipino workers while advancing their global competence.
As the constant implementation of their joint project was officially sealed, Tesda Director General Danilo Cruz and Accenture Phils. Executive Sponsor for Corporate Citizenship Rudy Guiao Jr. recently signed the two entities’ new memorandum of agreement (MOA) at the agency’s central office in Taguig City.
Witnessing the activity were Aniceto Bertiz III, deputy director-general for TESD operations; David B. Bungallon, executive director of National Institute for TESD; and Janelle Sunico, Accenture’s corporate citizenship lead for Southeast Asia.
“This MOA signing comes at a very opportune time, as Tesda incorporates more…21st-Century skills into its training regulations and competency standards,” said Cruz. “We acknowledge Accenture Phils. for investing in the TVET [technical vocational education and training] sector, and tapping the services of [the agency]. Together, we shall continue providing our kababayans with job opportunities, and improving the productivity and quality of our industries.”
Launched in 2018 the S2S Academy is a free, web-based application offering a highly interactive and online training program. It enables disadvantaged youths to build skills and confidence in making career choices and develop employability.
Three courses were originally available to help learners find jobs: “Choose a Career,” “Getting a Job,” and “Success in Work.” They were expanded in 2020 when Accenture added eight other courses to the “New Skills Now” platform aimed at helping learners to succeed in the digital economy.
These included “Lifelong Learning,” “Emotional Intelligence,” “Solving Problems,” “Thinking Critically,” “Understanding Technology,” “Technology at Work,” “Exploring Coding,” and “Discovering Data.”
All these courses can be accessed through the Tesda Technology Institutions (TTIs), private technical-vocational institutions, and via the Tesda Online Program.
In areas with poor Internet connectivity, Accenture Phils. provided selected TTIs with 10 Raspberry Pi devices, which will enable offline learners to access the S2S Academy courses.
As of August 25 the company revealed that more than 54,000 Tesda students have benefited from the courses and interactive sessions since the academy’s inception four years ago.
Given its success, the partnership’s renewal is vital for the project’s continuous implementation in TTIs and other TVET institutions.
“The S2S Academy courses will further strengthen Tesda’s initiatives toward [delivering area-based and demand-driven TVET],” said Tesda Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning Rosanna A. Urdaneta. “Further, these courses are invaluable in preparing our workers and entrepreneurs to adapt to the challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”