28 June 2012
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) aims to add at least 60,000 new specialists to its crop of experts when it hosts its nationwide assessment and certification starting next month.
Secretary Joel Villanueva, TESDA Secretary General, announced that the NATCAC will be held on three separate dates across the country to enable skilled workers and technical vocational education and training (TVET) graduates undergo the competency assessment and be a certified TESDA Specialista.
NATCAC stands for the National TVET (Technical Vocational Education Training) Competency Assessment and Certification, a synchronized conduct of competency assessment and certification in identified key qualifications.
The first schedule will be held from July 9 to 20 in all TESDA centers and administered schools nationwide as well as in public and private TESDA-accredited assessment centers nationwide.
This will be followed by two more NATCAC weeks on August 20 to 31 and on October 15 to 26.NATCAC is open to all TVET graduates, workers, trainers, and to returning overseas Filipino workers.
The assessment and certification are offered free of charge.
"If they are able to pass the assessment, they will receive either the National Certificate (NC) or Certificate of Competency (CoC) making them full-fledged TESDA Specialista. This is similar to a badge that they can use in applying for jobs that have high demand and good-paying," Villanueva said.
The NC is awarded to those who pass the assessment for a full qualification, e.g. Commercial Cooking NC III while the CoC is awarded to those who pass only a module or cluster of competencies, e.g. Plan and Prepare Food.
The TESDA chief said that the assessment and certification will promote industry acceptance and recognition of the value of having a certified specialist, assuring companies of the competencies of their workers.
"In these times when the competition for jobs is tough, it is good for a tech-voc graduate to be a step ahead by having the seal of excellence from TESDA," Villanueva said.
He said the agency employs internationally-recognized quality management standard in conducting the assessment and certification as TESDA holds an ISO (International Standards Organization) 9001:2008 certification, awarded in February this year.
TESDA received the ISO certification for two of its programs namely; Technical Vocational Education and Training Program Registration and Competency Assessment and Certification.
The assessment is available to skilled workers, tech-voc graduates, and returning OFWs in the field of Automotive Land Transport, Construction, Information Communications Technology, Tourism, Metals and Engineering, Agriculture and Food Processing, and Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning/Refrigeration.
Those who wish to apply for the first batch may secure the assessment application form from any of the TESDA Regional and Provincial/District Offices and Technical Training Institutes nationwide.
The form may also be downloaded from the TESDA website at www.tesda.gov.ph. Applicants may also call the TESDA hotline at 887-7777.
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