SSAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) inked a memorandum of convergence on March 13 to establish the “Kasanayan Tungo sa Pagtupad ng Pangarap na Pag-unlad” program.
 
The partnership, which was signed by DOLE Ilocos regional director Exequiel Ronie Guzman and TESDA Ilocos regional director Vincent Aljon Cifra, will synergize the strengths of both agencies  in addressing the issue of skills and job mismatch and unemployment problem in the country.
 
The  program is the result of the integration of TESDA’s training and scholarship programs and the DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).

It follows a training-cum-production framework which allows the jobseekers to undertake skills’ training program from TESDA based on their identified proficiency and later apply for assessment for National Certification II (NC II).
 
After the training and passing the assessment, the trainees will be endorsed to DOLE for referrals and employment facilitation.
 
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, who graced the memorandum signing, said the program aims to capacitate jobseekers as they acquire new skills to give them more employment opportunities.
 
“Ang TESDA po ang pangunahing malalapitan at ang DOLE ang magkokonekta sa mga jobseekers, at malaki rin ang bahagi ng employer group through local government units na tinatawag po nating Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) sa programang ito,” said Laguesma.
 
To strengthen its implementation, the DOLE also sealed a partnership with various employer groups in the region to strengthen cooperation in maintaining a good labor standard and ensuring the placement of workers.
 
Meanwhile, Cifra said, “This convergence is a significant program because this has job and skills matching elements with assured employment after training based on DOLE’s labor market information in the selected area.” (JCR/AMB/KJCR, PIA La Union)