ODIONGAN, Romblon (PIA) -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) made a significant impact on the education landscape of Romblon by providing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) opportunities to more than 1,817 residents in 2023 in this provinc.

Acting Provincial Director Lynette Gatarin shared this accomplishment during a recent Kapihan sa PIA Romblon forum.

According to Gatarin, TESDA Romblon managed to reach out to more than 1,817 individuals, empowering them with practical skills and knowledge in diverse fields.

Of this number, 741 residents underwent skills training at Romblon National Institute of Technology and TESDA's Provincial Training Center, while the remainder pursued their studies at Private Technical Vocational Institutions.

Gatarin also announced TESDA's plan to provide toolkits to select scholars who completed their training under the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP). The distribution of starter toolkits is anticipated to benefit all STEP scholars within the year.

Moreover, TESDA Romblon is exploring the prospect of offering skills training tailored to fit the needs of marble carvers in the province.

Gatarin revealed plans to leverage a CNC cutting machine in the town of Romblon and collaborate with experts from Baguio to operate it efficiently.

"There is already a CNC cutting machine in the town of Romblon, but there is no one capable of operating it, so the local government has not been able to use it. We are studying the possibility of creating an outline for this training. We have experts in Baguio whom we can tap to help," said Gatarin.

Kapihan sa PIA Romblon is a program by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Mimaropa, streaming live on PIA Mimaropa's Facebook page. (PJF/PIA Mimaropa - Romblon)