TESDA to launch massive jobs bridging program in March

19 February 2013

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will embark on a massive jobs bridging program for its “Specialistas” in various cities in Metro Manila to help them find jobs and be productive members of society.

The program, dubbed “Hanapbuhay para sa mga TESDA Specialista" aims to link technical vocational training and actual jobs by providing TESDA graduates access to companies that are in need of the type of skills they specialized in.

"Ultimately, the success of the TESDA training programs would be gauged in connecting skills training to jobs," Secretary Joel Villanueva, TESDA director general, said.

Villanueva said they have partnered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in the National Capital Region that have tapped about 100 companies and recruitment agencies based mostly in Metro Manila to participate in the program to be launched on March 11 at the Quezon City hall.

At least 23,500 “Specialistas” will be invited and are expected to troop to the jobs bridging venues slated in different dates and sites.

"After giving them the training, we now bring the companies willing to hire them. It will just be a matter of selling themselves to their potential workplace," Villanueva said.

In 2012, there were around 190,000 graduates who have finished different programs in various training institutions in Metro Manila.

Villanueva said the agency is continuously promulgating and updating its training regulations to respond to the demand of the labor market. He cited that job postings at the Phil-JobNet website showed there are 230,000 available jobs, but that there were only 117,000 applicants.

Clearly, the TESDA chief said, the gap between the jobs available and the applicants manifests that some jobseekers lacked the skills required by companies. Another reason, he said, is that the training institutions are not producing the kind of skills that the companies need.

The following are the dates and venues of the jobs bridging program:

March 11 - 9am, Quezon City Hall Covered Walk, Quezon City
March 14 - 9am, SM San Lazaro, City of Manila
march 18 - 9am, SM Tunasan, Muntinlupa City
March 20 - 9am, Victoria Mall, Caloocan City
March 22 - 9am, Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City
March 25 - 9am, Pasig City Sports Center, Pasig City