TESDA urges Ilonggos to register in free competency assessment

Thursday 5th of July 2012

ILOILO CITY, July 5 (PIA6) -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) here urged applicants to the free competency and assessment certification to register before July 9 in assessment centers as this is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For this year, the first round of the national technical and vocational education and training competency assessment and certification (NTCAC), a priority program of TESDA Director General Secretary Joel Villanueva, will be conducted on July 9 to 20.

TESDA-Iloilo Senior Specialist Jose Gerry Hallares said that 761 workers, trainers and returning overseas Filipino workers in the province are expected to benefit in the first round of the NTCAC, a synchronized conduct of competency assessment and certification involving key qualifications that are difficult to find but with high-industry demand.

For this round, beneficiaries may avail of the free assessment offered in the following assessment centers in the province: Driving NC II, Bread and Pastry Production II, RAC Servicing NC II, and Food Processing at the Leon Ganzon Polytechnic College in Balasan; Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) NC III, Plumbing NC III, and SMAW NC III at TESDA Regional Training Center – Iloilo in Zamora St., Iloilo City; Automotive Servicing NC II, Driving NC II, Driving NC III, Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II and SMAW II at Passi Trade School in Passi City; and Housekeeping NC III, at ABBA Institute of Technology, Delgado St., Iloilo City.

Hallares encouraged bus, straight truck drivers to take advantage of this free assessment so that they can save on the corresponding assessment fee. Competency and assessment certification for bus/straight truck drivers will be compulsory in 2013.

A National Certificate II or the Certificate of Competency will be given to the candidates who will pass the required competencies. The NC is issued when a candidate has demonstrated competence in all units of competency that comprise a qualification, while the certificate of competency is issued to candidates who have satisfactorily demonstrated competence on a particular or cluster of units of competency.

The said certificates, valid for five years, will further boost the workers’ chance of finding a job, which is consistent with President Benigno Aquino’s thrust to provide more job opportunities for Filipinos.

Hallares said the next rounds of the NTCAC will be conducted on August 20 to 31 and on October 15 to 26 this year. (LAF/PIA6)