Gov’t to help graduates start own business

Graduates of technicalvocational education and training (TVET) can now avail themselves of loan packages from the government and put up their own business, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) reported yesterday.

The agency is preparing for the five-day World Café of Opportunities as part of government efforts to assist tech-voc graduates.

“The World Café of Opportunities will open job opportunities and other employment support interventions which shall be offered and will be placed in various stations within the event area, where jobseekers could roam around and pick the opportunity of their choice,” TESDA director general Guiling Mamondiong said.

Target beneficiaries are TVET graduates, entrepreneurs, companies/industries with job vacancies, and returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their qualified beneficiaries.

Among the services offered under the World Café of Opportunities are job opportunities; basic/upgrading skills required for employment of TVET graduates and industry workers; technical assistance for TVET graduates/entrepreneurs so that they could avail of loan for their business; and training for OFW returnees and their qualified beneficiaries.

Mamondiong said TESDA has stepped up job linkaging and networking services (JoLiNS) to help TVET graduates find jobs, scholarships and possible availability of loan packages.

To prepare for the World Café of Opportunities, Mamondong said TESDA is holding a training program titled “Strengthening the Competencies on Industry Coordination of Career Advocates and JoLiNS Focals” at the National TVET Trainers Academy in Marikina on June 25-29.

Mamondiong said the World Café of Opportunities is a jobs fair that will be held simultaneously nationwide during the celebration of the National Technical-Vocational Day on Aug. 25.

Last February, President Duterte signed Republic Act No. 10970, declaring Aug. 25 every year and thereon as National Technical-Vocational Day.

“The World Café of Opportunities will be held twice a year on a regular basis or once in every semester in the respective regions or provinces in the coming years,” he added.

The training program, according to the TESDA chief, aims to capacitate officials and employees of the agency as well as its TESDA Technology Institutes in industry coordination to better prepare them for the implementation of this bi-annual event.