Manila: The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) welcomed on Tuesday a lawmaker's push for stronger job placement support for its graduates. Party-list Rep. Menchie Bernos emphasized the importance of prioritizing job placement for TESDA graduates, highlighting the need for immediate employment opportunities following the completion of their training programs.
According to Philippines News Agency, TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez expressed confidence in the effectiveness of technical vocational (tech-voc) training in ensuring employability. He noted that TESDA training adequately prepares graduates for the workforce, with an impressive national employment rate of 83.34 percent for tech-voc graduates based on TESDA's latest study.
Benitez highlighted that TESDA graduates are often employable even without National Certificates (NCs), thanks to the skills acquired during their training. However, he acknowledged that obtaining an NC could be advantageous for promotions or alternative job applications. TESDA mandates its scholars to undergo a national competency assessment after completing their training.
Benitez emphasized TESDA's commitment to providing industry-relevant training. He cited President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directives for TESDA, the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to strengthen the education sector's foundations. He expressed optimism about the administration's employment plans, led by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Francis Tolentino.
For the current year, TESDA has secured a PHP26 billion budget, with PHP19 billion allocated for scholarships. Benitez reported that 600,000 scholarship slots have been distributed this year.
According to TESDA Public Information Division Executive Director Floramel Joy Songsong, certain sectors, like construction and health, may require an NC for safety compliance. Additionally, she mentioned that overseas employment often necessitates an NC for visa processing, and skipping assessments could impact salary potential and future scholarship eligibility.
