July 07, 2021
Taguig City — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is set to strengthen the construction sector in Cebu and address unemployment and job-skill mismatch in the area.
Last June 10, TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña and Cebu Contractors Association Inc. (CCA) President Engr. Francis Gerard Cañedo signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the establishment of an industry board in Central Visayas.
Under the MoA, TESDA shall facilitate the development of Training Regulations, Curricula, Assessment Tools, Expansion of Assessment and Certification Infrastructure and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Program Registration engaging the expertise of the Construction Industries.
TESDA shall likewise develop incentives and guidelines that would encourage wider participation of the industry in the implementation of enterprise-based (RBT) programs.
For CCA, it shall provide the necessary labor market information to TESDA in aid of policy and program decisions. It shall also lead and provide experts in analyzing forecasting skills need for skill development and conduct capability building interventions for trainers and assessors.
In his speech, Lapeña said that the partnership will uncover a lot of opportunities, as the newly created industry board will serve as the channel of the existing industries in terms of design and implementation of projects, programs, and activities for TVET scholars.
“We will tap the experts in the construction industries in the development and regular review of our training programs to ensure that what we teach in TESDA is at par with international standards,” he said.
Lapeña likewise noted that establishing an industry board in every region is important as this will encourage participation of partners from the private sector in improving various aspects of TVET in the country.
He added that since his assumption as TESDA Director General in 2018, the agency has intensified their efforts in establishing linkages and stakeholders in shaping globally- competitive workers.
“This is our way of ensuring that our actions are harmonized with end-users — that the skills we provide are responsive to the needs and requirements of the industries,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lapeña expressed hope that the partnership will empower more Filipinos especially those who are in the lower strata of the society. He lauded CCA for continuous support to TESDA.
Also present during the MoA signing were CCA Vice President Benedict Uy, TESDA Deputy Director General for TESD Operations Lina Sarmiento and TESDA Chief-of-staff Director Juliet Orozco. ###
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