BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Cordillera (TESDA-CAR) highlighted its achievements in providing education, certification, and employment opportunities for scholars in the Cordillera Administrative Region during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on Tuesday(Dec. 17, 2024).
TESDA-CAR Assistant Regional Director Glenn Murphy said that they were able to produce 42,172 graduates from their scholarship programs from 2022 to 2024. Of the graduates, 25,861 were assessed with 23,574 certified, and 17,097 were employed.
Murphy said these achievements also underline the substantial contribution of TESDA-CAR to the workforce development in the Cordillera.
“We would like to uplift the Filipino people through the provision of [trainings] … ultimately is for them to be employed. Being employed, of course, makes an impact in their lives, in their family and everybody. So basically, this starts from skills training,” Murphy said.
This also aligns with the TESDA 8-point agenda which include access to technical vocational education and training (TVET). TESDA aims to expand access to training programs through scholarships and free assessment to enhance employability of TVET graduates.
Murphy also affirmed that government’s investment in human resources through the various programs of TESDA is worth it. He noted the 92.17 percent employment rate of 16,374 graduates in 2022.
“Based on the survey on our 2022 scholarship graduates, we can say that 8 out 10 graduates po natin ay employed, either self-employed or wage-employed. So, the rate of return, I can say that it’s worthy to be investing on the people,” he stated.
The scholarship programs of TESDA include the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), Special Training for Employment Program (STEP), Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA), Universal Access to Tertiary Education (UAQTEA), Rice Extension Services Program (RESP), Tulong Trabaho Scholarship Program (TTSP), and DOTr Tsuper Iskolar.
As of Dec. 13 this year, TESDA-CAR recorded a 41.89 percent employment rate in TWSP, 24.84 percent in STEP, 33.33 percent in PESFA, 250 percent in RESP, and 38.11 percent in TTSP.
The TWSP seeks to support rapid, inclusive, and sustained economic growth through course offerings in priority industries and key employment generators.
The STEP is a community-based training program that seeks to address the specific skills needs of the communities and promote employment.
PESFA seeks to extend financial assistance to marginalized but deserving students in post-secondary non-degree courses. The RESP aims to provide skills training for Filipino rice farmers while the TTSP aims to address equity and access by providing direct financial assistance to deserving TVET enrollees. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)
