P1.1B techvoc training, scholarship fund to increase employment rate of new grads

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan, Philippines — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is aiming at 60 percent employment rate for their 1.2-million graduates by next year.

This came as President Benigno Aquino III allocated P1.1-billion fund for training and scholarships in technical education.

“This is another option for our young people today. There are great opportunities in technical education,” said Joel Villanueva, the director general of Tesda after the opening of the two-day Regional Skills Competitions (RSC) here recently.

He said that they are not belittling four-year college education; instead, they are just showcasing another career path for young Filipinos.

Villanueva said the P1.1-B allocation will be used for trainings and scholarships in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector (P500 million); and for tourism, semiconductor, agriculture and construction sector wherein P600 million was prepared.

In the BPO sector alone, he said the 65,000 call centers agents, software developers, animators and health information officers which were formerly known as medical transcriptionists will be trained.

“Good thing about the BPO sectors is that 70 percent or 45,000 trainees will be automatically employed,” Villanueva said.

He also boasted that 80 percent of software developers that underwent training and certified by Tesda were immediately employed in the past year.

“This year, we are aiming at 55 percent employment rate for our 1.2-million graduates, and next year, we are looking at 60 percent employment,” he said while comparing it to 37 percent annual passing rate for licensure examination given by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for those who completed a four-year college degree.

“I’m not saying that a college degree is no longer important, I am just proud that our graduates are employable and are doing well because they possess proper skills needed by the industries,” Villanueva said.

He cited that at least 55 percent of maritime personnel serving in different sea lanes in the world are Filipinos and most of them are Tesda certified.

With regards to the semiconductor industry, Villanueva said TESDA has allocated P60 million for the training of 9,000 students after they sign a memorandum of agreement with the Semi-conductor Association of the Philippines.

He also said that despite massive training programs they prepared for the year, the country still has shortage in manpower especially in the BPO and semiconductor industries.

“That’s one of the reasons why we are trying to encourage Nursing graduates to undergo training with us and be part of the BPO industry as health information officers,” Villanueva said.

Aside from the said training programs, he said that TESDAis also closely coordinating with industry leaders for the development of new training regulations aimed at further improving skills of workers.

Villanueva said that new training programs is part of their preemptive attempt in preparation for possible impact of the anti-outsourcing law being pushed in the US Congress. –Dino Balabo (The Philippine Star)