More Pinoys taking up vocational courses

MANILA, Philippines – More Filipinos are taking up vocational courses to work as barbers and hairstylists abroad, according to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva said many job opportunities are available for Filipino barbers and hairstylists in the United States, the Middle East and Brunei.

“As alternative to other vocational courses, many Filipinos are taking up barber training course because they could immediately apply for jobs abroad after finishing the training,” he said.

Villanueva said other jobs in demand abroad are jewelry making, land surveying and electrical power distribution line construction.

“The field of land surveying is an unfamiliar terrain to some people in the Philippines, but it is actually one of the in-demand jobs in other countries,” he said.

Many young Filipinos found such training interesting and exciting, he added.

Villanueva said young Filipinos are also getting interested in jewelry making because of its lucrative potential.

“Many entrepreneurs would like to start up their own jewelry business but would like to have some training also, particularly young people who would like to do it on their own,” he said.

Villanueva said TESDA has approved new training courses in jewelry making, land surveying, barbering, as well as electrical power distribution line construction.

“There is high demand for such skills abroad, thus in consultation with our industry partners, we have identified and approved the new roster of training that would offer more job opportunities and give tech-voc students wider career options to choose from,” he said.

Villanueva said TESDA would train those taking up land surveying how to locate and layout positional information and determine land boundaries that require various types of land surveys.

Those interested in taking training for electric power distribution construction can learn to erect distribution line poles, climb pole and install pole assembly, conductors, line equipment and devices as well as install consumer service connection facility. Line construction includes construction/extension of new distribution lines, he added.

Villanueva said TESDA would train students of jewelry making on how to fabricate basic jewelry components, polish jewelry, plate jewelry and perform rubber mold making.

Jewelry-making students will also be taught how to construct, assemble and make fine jewelry using precious gems or metals like gold, silver and diamond, he said.

Those training as barbers would be taught how to cut hair and perform other grooming services for men such as hair and scalp treatment, hair coloring, shaving and styling beard and mustache, Villanueva said. –Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)