Low-skilled workers train for better future
FILIPINAS TAUGHT COMPUTERS , REFLEXOLOGY AND DRESSMAKING
Janice Ponce de Leon
Noregen Villanueva has two reasons to hope for a better future as an overseas worker. The 27-year-old housemaid, who works in Dubai, has just completed two training courses — with flying colours — so she can upgrade her skills and look for better job opportunities.
Villanueva has been working in Dubai for the past two years. She is among the first batch of graduates of the free ‘Training Courses for Overseas Filipinos’ at the Philippine labour office. The training is part of the Department of Labour and Employment’s programme to enhance the competitiveness of low-skilled Filipinos overseas.
“People always look down on us because we’re maids. I couldn’t work elsewhere because I only finished high school. So now, I wanted to do something that I could be proud of,” Villanueva told Gulf News.
She and 59 other candidates graduated yesterday after completing training courses in basic computer operations, massage therapy and reflexology, sewing and dressmaking and commercial food business.
The candidates work as maids, cleaners, butchers, beauticians, nannies and bus cleaning supervisors in Dubai.
Around 14 of them are distressed Filipinas due for reintegration to the Philippines.
Outstanding trainee
In all, there were 67 graduates because seven candidates, like Villanueva, took up two courses at a time.
Graduating as one of the outstanding trainees, Villanueva said the training was a worthwhile sacrifice. “I really studied hard. I gave my best because I didn’t want to lag behind my classmates,” she said. “This is a good opportunity because at least we can have opportunities to learn and earn extra cash.”
For Holiday Paundog, 31, who works as a cleaner in Deira, her new feat is the realisation of a dream. “I studied computer science when I was in the Philippines, but I never got the chance to finish it,” she said. “After my contract, I will look for a new job... I had to sacrifice my days off. I had no rest for a month but I am hopeful it will pay off.”
The month-long training course held at the labour office every Friday began in October.
“We train wards [distressed Filipinos] for their reintegration. But when we invited the public to enrol in the training courses in October, many people responded. We hope that the graduates will use their new skills to succeed in their chosen fields,” Assistant Labour Attache Venus Abad told Gulf News.