23 Filipino tech-voc grads to compete in Singapore

July 18, 2023

A total of 23 Filipino tech-voc graduates are set to compete in the upcoming 13th WorldSkills ASEAN Competition at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Center in Singapore.

From July 18 to 28, the competitors will vie for top honors in various skill areas such as Automobile Technology, Beauty Therapy, Cooking, Electrical Installation, Electronics, Fashion Technology, Graphic Design Technology, Hairdressing, Information Network Cabling, Internet-of-Things, IT Network System Administration, IT Software Solutions for Business, Mechanical Engineering CAD, Mechatronics, Mobile Robotics, Rapid Transit System, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Restaurant Service, and Web Technology.

The biennial WorldSkills ASEAN Competition gathers youth from around Southeast Asia to showcase their talents and abilities in various skill categories. It aims to promote and upgrade skills standards in the ASEAN region to an international level, as well as to motivate youths to develop their skills to meet international standards.

The 13th WorldSkills ASEAN Competition was originally set for July 2020 but was rescheduled to be held this year due to the pandemic.

“This competition provides an opportunity for us to gauge the level of skills of our graduates and workers against those of other countries. By joining these prestigious activities, we also show the world, especially potential employers, what we can do,” Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu said.

Secretary Mangudadatu added that the agency continues to ensure that its training programs are at par with international standards.

Likewise, the TESDA chief expressed his optimism that by participating, Filipino competitors will gain the experience and knowledge which will help them to be successful in life.

It can be recalled that TESDA has been actively participating in international competitions. Last year, during the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition held in Switzerland, Filipino Jonathan Supsupin bagged a Medallion for Excellence in the Cooking skill area.

The Medallion for Excellence is granted to competitors whose performance meets international standards based on the criteria set by WorldSkills International.

Section 30 of the Republic Act 7796 or the TESDA Act of 1994 states that TESDA, with the active participation of private industries, shall organize annual skills Olympics to promote quality skills development in the country in view of participating in international skills competitions.