ANTIQUE, Philippines – Tourism, construction, agriculture, health, business process outsourcing services (BPOS) and electronics are among the priority sectors for the skills training program of TESDA.
Provincial Director Jose Gerry Hallares in an interview said that the priorities are based on job demands here and abroad and the potential of the province in terms of raw materials, sites and human resources.
Tourism has a lot of potential, he said thus, the skills training programs is directed towards services needed in tourism industry such as food preparation and related services, tour guide, massage therapy, beauty care, housekeeping among other related skills.
Skilled workers in construction and electronics sector are also in demand abroad and in local firms even in small scale community projects. More trainings are lined up for building construction, electricity, welding, driving, automotive and a lot more.
For Agriculture, there are also available courses on agricultural crop production, animal production (chicken) and organic agriculture production.
Health Care related trainings are also available in different TESDA accredited schools in the province while for BPOs training centers are in Iloilo, Capiz and Negros Occidental.
Hallares said that some trainings are conducted in communities depending on the requirement of the course/qualification to make it available for all.
To date there are six Technical Vocational Education Training Schools in the province offering various courses with scholarship available for Training on Work Scholarship, Private Education Student Financial Assistance Program, Special Training for Employment program, Bottom Up Budgeting in partnership with local government units and sponsored training programs.
TESDA also facilitates competency assessment and certification, career counseling, job facilitation, profiling, skills upgrading, social marketing, trainers’ development, labor market intelligence among other services.
Antique has 40 TESDA Assessment centers for 49 courses/qualifications including the Assessment Center for Electric Power Distribution Line Construction NC II and Transmission Line Installation and Maintenance NC at Antique Electric Cooperative, the first and only in Visayas Region, said Hallares.
He said the programs and services of TESDA are open to all especially those who included in the skills mapping under the program Barangay Kasanayan Para sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran. Interested groups, Indigenous People (IPs), women, drug surrenderees, out of school youth, persons with disabilities and senior citizens are encouraged to visit TESDA office if they intend to avail of the training programs.
TESDA upbeat on tourism, construction sectors
