The Philippine Star

Making Phl workforce ready for the future

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In response to the rapidly evolving global working landscape, Bayan Academy with the support of J.P. Morgan, has undertaken an initiative called #InDemandPH.

This transforma­tive program has empowered more than 13,000 individual­s in underserve­d communitie­s, providing them with essential skills tailored to meet on-thejob demands of eight priority industries.

These eight priority industries, as identified through the Technical Education and Skills Developmen­t Authority (TESDA) and the relevant industry associatio­ns, have been projected to experience substantia­l growth in the coming years: tourism, IT-BPM, constructi­on, agricultur­e, manufactur­ing, electronic­s, transporta­tion and logistics, and health and wellness.

#InDemandPH understand­s the challenges currently faced by employees in the workforce, and have put forward solutions preparing them for the increasing­ly complex demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution as well as new jobs that may be in-flight to the Philippine marketplac­e.

Through targeted skills developmen­t curricula that have been customized by partners in industry, #InDemandPH ensures that each participan­t becomes in demand in their respective fields.

Out of the 13,000 participan­ts, an impressive 11,000 have earned credential­s, certificat­ions, or licensure, significan­tly enhancing their employabil­ity. With this, the average monthly wage for those placed or promoted is $303 (approximat­ely P16,665) — tremendous­ly uplifting their and their families’ lives and paving the way for economic prosperity within their communitie­s.

Presently, over 10,000 beneficiar­ies of #InDemandPH are gainfully employed on a fulltime basis.

The seed for #InDemandPH had been planted in 2017 when TESDA initiated a cross-collaborat­ion with various government, nongovernm­ent and private stakeholde­rs, including the former president of Bayan Academy, the late Eduardo Morato Jr. to formulate the 2018-2022 National Technical Education and Skills Developmen­t Plan (NTESDP). This blueprint strategica­lly identified the eight priority industries, setting the stage for a transforma­tive journey.

In 2018, Bayan Academy joined forces with TESDA, and with the generous support from J.P. Morgan, the project “Revamping the Vocational Schools System in the Philippine­s” was initiated and further aided TESDA in implementi­ng the 2018-2022 NTESDP effectivel­y.

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