17 November 2014
On the busy road in a village in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, a huge bus rolled along carrying computers and other learning materials.
Intended to service some 200 youth, the mobile bus will provide access to technical vocational education or tech-voc, which used to be available only in formal classroom settings.
The Mobile Training Bus Plus is an offering of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) together with private tech-voc institutions and the local government unit to give the youth of Laguna access to quality training.
"If you can't go to TESDA, TESDA will go to you. This is what the agency always has in mind in designing programs, especially for the country's poor communities," TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva said.
Villanueva is hopeful that the residents of Laguna will take advantage of the presence of the Mobile Bus Plus and enrol in courses that would help them get jobs or start a business.
The mobile training program for the city of Sta. Rosa in Laguna was launched on November 10, and focused on residents of Southville 4 in Barangay Caingin.
It offers training courses on Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Hilot Wellness, Mechatronics, Beauty Care, Computer Hardware Servicing, and Cellphone Repair.
The Mobile Training Bus Plus has been on tour of duty in a number of areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces bringing along course offerings to individuals who want to try tech-voc as a route towards decent employment.
The program was launched in 2012 after TESDA received several units of buses as donations from Genesis Transportation Inc., one of the agency's partners in promoting tech-voc.
"From classrooms, learning on the bus is TESDA's way of encouraging people to hop on and experience something new,” Villanueva said.
During the launch, Villanueva was joined by Laguna Representative Dan Fernandez, TESDA regional director Luisita Dela Cruz, provincial director Pascual Arriola, Sta. Rosa City tourism officer Arnold Arcilla, Barangay Chairman Christopher Dictado, and other local government officials.
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