January 18, 2019
Employers and workers will have a bigger role in technical vocational education and training (TVET) in the country as TESDA moves to strengthen its partnership with them for a more effective and efficient implementation of its training programs and other services.
This after Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, signed the “Implementing Guidelines on the Establishment of Institutional Arrangements with Industry Boards or Industry Associations”.
The guidelines aim to “recognize Industry Boards (IBs) or Industry Associations (IAs) as partners in the delivery of TVET programs or services”.
These guidelines also aim to “engage the direct participation of employers and workers in the design and implementation of work related to technical education and skills development”.
“The establishment of institutional arrangements with IBs or IAs shall encourage active participation of various concerned industries in providing relevant technical education and skills development opportunities, being direct participants in and immediate beneficiaries of a trained and skilled workforce,” explained Lapeña.
The industry sectors primarily include those that are considered by the agency to be Key Employment Generators (KEGs) such as Construction, Tourism, Agri-business, Wholesale and Retail, Health and Wellness at Automotive/Transport.
The IBs and IAs that will be recognized to represent their respective sectors will serve as the “conduit” of the industry in the design and implementation of projects, programs and activities in TVET of TESDA.
Part of their responsibilities will include giving TESDA recommendations in the conceptualization and execution of skills development schemes, skills standardization and certification, as well as to entice industries and employers to participate in these activities.
The IBs and IAs will likewise assist in the development of competency standards, curriculum, sectoral skills plans and assessment tools.
These groups will also take part in the promotion and implementation of various TVET activities towards quality skills development including the conduct of skills competitions.
Initially, a Secretariat will be established to give administrative and technical support to the IBs/IAs. The Secretariat will be composed of staff from TESDA’s Partnerships and Linkages Office (PLO), Qualifications Standards Office (QSO), National Institute for Technical Education and Skills Development (NITESD), Planning Office (PO) and Certification Office (CO).
The TESDA PLO will allocate a budget of Php 100,000 for each IBs or IAs for their preliminary related activities such as the conduct of meetings, conferences and the production of promotional materials.
The recognition of IBs/IAs is covered in Republic Act 7796 (TESDA Law) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) which allow for the establishment of institutional arrangements with bodies or associations such as industry boards that may support TESDA in the fulfilment of its objectives.
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