5,000 skilled workers join Tesda’s pool of specialists

More than 5,000 skilled workers, trainers, graduates and students were certified by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) during the first three weeks of the second run of the National Technical Vocational Education and Training Competency Assessment and Certification (Natcac).

Tesda director general Joel Villanueva said a total of 5,310 applicants out of 6,447 were certified by the agency during the Natcac training held from Aug. 8 to Nov. 18 this year.

“The number of individuals who received the certification tells us that the National Technical Vocational Education and Training Competency Assessment and Certification are on the right track in achieving its targets,” Villanueva said.

The highest certification rates so far were in Bicol (Region V), Central Visayas (Region VII), Western Visayas (Region VIII), and the Cordillera Administrative Region, where more than 90 percent of those assessed were successfully certified.

These were in the Agriculture and Fishery, Automotive and Land Transport, and Construction Sectors, under which are classified such qualifications as Agricultural and Crop Production, Animal Production, Aquaculture, Horticulture, Auto Servicing, Motorcycle/Small Engine Servicing and Driving among other vocations.

Aimed at enhancing the competitiveness and employability of workers, NATCAC is a synchronized conduct of competency assessment and certification in identified key qualifications that are hard to find but with high industry demand.

NATCAC is available to workers, practitioners, trainers, overseas Filipino workers and graduating students who want to be certified in their respective fields.

The assessment and certification program is conducted free of charge.

“We want our workers to know that these days, when prices are soaring and companies are downgrading, Tesda is here to equip Filipinos with the skills needed to survive,” Villanueva said. “We are expecting more applicants to avail themselves of the skills assessment tests as the remaining programs running until Nov. are targeted to more popular industries.”

More than 450,000 individuals have so far been certified as “Specialistas” by the agency this year, or just over 100,000 shy of its national target.

The first run of this year’s free synchronized national assessment and certification conducted by Tesda was held from March to April.

Assessments for skills under the Information and Communication Technology Sector are scheduled for Sept. 26-30. These include the following qualifications: Visual Graphics NC III; 2D Animation NC III; 3D Animation NC III; Medical Transcription NC II; Computer Hardware Servicing NC II; and Programming NC IV.

For those in the Tourism Industry who wish to be certified, assessments will be held from October 10-14 and include the following qualifications: Food and Beverage Services NC II and III; Commercial Cooking NC II and III; Bread and Pastry Production NC II; Housekeeping NC II and III; and Events Management Services NC III.

Those in the Electronics Sector who want to avail themselves of certification from Tesda can apply for assessment from Oct. 24-28 in Mechatronics NC II and III; Instrumentation NC II and III; Consumer Electronics Servicing II and III.

Assessment for skills in Metals and Engineering; Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning; and Health, Social and Other Community Development Services will be held on Nov. 14-18. This includes the following qualifications: SMAW NC II and III; Machining NC II and III; CNC Lathe Machine Operation NC II and III; GMAW NC II and III; GTAW NC II and III; RAC Servicing NC II; Transport RAC Servicing NC II; and, Bookkeeping NC III.

Interested applicants who wish to avail themselves of certification may secure the assessment application form from any of the Tesda Regional and Provincial/District Offices and TTIs nationwide. The form may also be downloaded from the Tesda Web site at www.tesda.gov.ph.

Applicants may also call Tesda hotline (887-7777) or text 09182738232 and 09174794370 for information.