TESDA to ‘tambays’: Get free skills training

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority's (TESDA) is encouraging idlers / bystanders or ‘tambays’ to avail of free skills from the agency to enhance their productivity.

“Halina sa TESDA at magsanay para makapagtrabaho at makapagnegosyo (Visit TESDA and learn a skill to be able to land a job or start a business of your own),” says TESDA Director General Guiling Mamondiong.

Mamondiong said scholarship programs are up for grabs at TESDA under the Private Education Financial Assistance (PEFA), Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), Special Training for Employment Program (STEP) and Free TVET in accordance with Republic Act 10931.

He also said that there are three ways to apply for the scholarship programs of the agency: Walk-In Scholarship Application, On-Line Scholarship Application and Barangay-based Scholarship Application.

Applicants may choose from more than 200 qualifications or promulgated training programs related to construction, automotive and land transportation, agriculture, information and communication technology, tourism and restaurant, processed food and beverages, garments, metals and engineering, health, social and community services, among others.

So far, TESDA has 3,962 private and public technical vocational education and training (TVET) centers with 15,229 registered TVET programs.

The government is in need of some 200,000 construction workers nationwide for its ‘Build Build Build’ Program", which will focus on 75 major infrastructure flagship projects.

Interested parties may enroll in construction related training programs such as Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC ll, Sheilded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) NC ll, Carpentry NC ll, Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC lll, Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) NC ll, Plumbing NC ll, Masonry NC ll, Technical Drafting NC ll, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) NCll and heavy equipment operation.