Tesda to add more foreign languages in training offers

THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) will soon be offering additional foreign language training courses in an aim to advance the competitive edge of Filipino workers.

Tesda Officer in Charge Deputy Director General Rosanna A. Urdaneta said the agency is eyeing more language related courses to addup to the already existing courses under its National Skills Language Center (NLSC).

Tesda’s NLSC is planning to open additional language courses, such as Arabic, Mandarin, Korean, Italian and French.

“As we continue to respond to the demands of our workers, we shall soon be offering various language courses in partnership with foreign embassies and other interested international organizations,” Urdaneta said.

She said that Tesda is not just teaching the language itself but also the country’s culture.

This, according to her, will help Filipino workers to easily adapt to and adopt the country’s language and culture.

In his inaugural address last June 30, President Ferdinand R., Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of “sharpening the language skills” of Filipino workers, including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWS), that will give them the advantage to survive and thrive in foreign soils.

At present, Tesda’s NLSC offers English Proficiency for Customer Service Workers, Japanese Language and Culture, Japanese Language and Culture Level II and Spanish Language for Different Vocations.

In 2021, the NLSC has produced 1,148 graduates, of whom 508 finished the English Proficiency for Customer Service Workers; 450 the Japanese Language and Culture; and, 190 the Spanish Language for Different Vocations.

Among the Tesda language course graduates were uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), employees of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and OFWS.

Tesda Deputy Director General for Operations Aniceto D. Bertiz III disclosed that agency’s NLSC has projects and programs in the pipeline designed to strengthen the delivery of language skills training to Filipino workers.

“Tesda will continue to implement and improve its programs and services designed to improve the language skills of Filipino workers here and abroad in line with the new Marcos administration’s priority agenda,” Bertiz said.