10 April 2011
Hair cutting, feet pampering and other beauty courses were the order of the day for returning overseas Filipino workers, who have had not so beautiful experience from their jobs abroad.
Through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), returning OFWs and several of their family members were put to rigid training to equip them with necessary skills in finding new jobs by making people beautiful and feel good about themselves.
At the end of the course, 38 OFW returnees and repatriates from Romania, Saudi Arabia and Dammam graduated from the training program.
Six of those who completed the training were immediately hired by salons in Metro Manila namely, Ness Astillas Salon, Lexxusa Salon, Oriental Salon and Spa, Tony Evangelista Salon, Rudy Reponte Salon and Edwin Samot Salon.
TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva said the training aimed at tapping the skills and competencies of the OFWs and their families to help them find new jobs or start their own business.
"We want to assure our returning OFWs that are being repatriated is not the end of the road for them. We are giving this training to tap or further hone their skills to pave the way for new opportunities for them," Villanueva said, noting that a number of Filipino workers in the Middle East manage their own beauty salon.
The free training was conducted by the Philippine International Cosmetologist Association (PICA) in partnership with TESDA, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO).
PICA president and well-known hair and make-up stylist Fanny Serrano personally supervised the training together with his leading stylists Gem Manuel, Bong Policarpio, Ernie Viray and Beth Granada.
Free training kits, food and transportation allowance were provided by OWWA and NRCO during the training.
It was among the highlights of the first NATCAC or the National TVET (Technical-Vocational Education Training) Competency Assessment and Certification System held from March 28 to April 2 at the TESDA Compound in Taguig City.
A total of 22,273 workers had been assessed by the agency during the event but only more than half-- 13,368--were certified.
"We want to send the message that we have the skilled workforce that companies need and that TESDA specialists possess the basic employability skills such as work ethic, adeptness and most of all, love for work,” Villanueva said.
TESDA will continue to sponsor the free assessment and training in June and October this year.
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