03 April 2012
Job was no longer elusive to three young men, who have started to work for Singapore Airlines as aircraft mechanics after undergoing training under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Roland Allan Nicolas, Christian Paul Fulmaran and Mark Gerald Galarce recently began their career with the Singapore Air Engineering Philippines (SIAEP) based in Clark, Pampanga. They will start as maintenance trainees for SIAEP's Maintenance Training Program for one year as prelude to their regularization at the prestigious airlines firm.
The job opportunity came just after four months of intensive training that started in November last year with Aerotechnik Services Inc., TESDA’s partner in providing free technical vocational education to Nicolas, Fulmaran and Galarce through the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP).
"The opportunity that TESDA has given us has led us to work at this very prestigious company which we know will greatly change our lives and open doors for more employment in the future," the three said in a letter to Secretary Joel Villanueva, TESDA Director General.
Villanueva said he considers the achievement of the three graduates another feat for technical vocational education in the country.
"They just finished training, and here comes a job opportunity at hand. This shows that high-quality vocational education could be a path as well to great jobs," Villanueva said.
Nicolas, 21, said waiting for the opportunity to avail of the TESDA and ASI training was worth it because he really wanted to become an aircraft mechanic.
"There were challenges I encountered while taking my course. I experienced getting a failing grade on my major subject, but that experience motivated me more to finish my course and continue to fulfill and achieve my dream to become an aircraft mechanic," he said.
"I call on the youth particularly the newly graduates from high school to take tech-voc courses as well, more so, if they really have the talent. And also, the important thing is they love what they are doing," Nicolas added.
Fulmaran, 21, said the training from TESDA and ASI was an enhancement to the earlier course he took in college.
During the training, Fulmaran recalled the difficulties he had to hurdle, such as his daily two-hour travel to the training site.
"I think the prospects of this course are big as they open up opportunities for jobs at big airlines," he said.
Fulmaran added that the training would give the students the opportunity to specialize in the field of aviation and give them a shot at better employment opportunities.
Galarce finished a college course but found it hard to land in a job he wanted.
"Most companies look for applicants with job experience," he said.
Because of the need to earn a living, he said he worked as passenger service agent, but realized that he was still looking for a technical work.
"That's why when this training opportunity came, I immediately grabbed it, and I am so thankful I did," Galarce said.
SIAEP is one of the maintenance repair and overhaul stations in the country located in Clark in Pampanga.
The state-of-the-art facility offers services as aircraft certification, scheduled heavy maintenance check, airframe structure inspection, repairs, modifications, paint-stripping, painting of aircraft exterior and non-destructive testing.
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