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SHANGHAI, China — Filipino workers stand to gain broader international job opportunities as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) pushes for global skills recognition and portability.
The call to action was made during the WorldSkills Conference: Shaping a Skills-Driven Future in Shanghai, China, where global leaders and experts gathered to address shifting workforce demands.
TESDA Secretary Franciscio “Kiko” B. Benitez joined other panelists in a session that examined how skills recognition frameworks can support cross-border mobility, lifelong learning, and labor-market relevance amid the growing shift toward skills-first approaches worldwide.
“Skills recognition is becoming increasingly important as workers move across borders and industries look beyond traditional qualifications. We need systems that recognize what people know and can do, wherever and however those skills were acquired,” Benitez said.
The discussion examined how national and international competency frameworks and standards can provide an overarching structure linking qualifications systems, skills taxonomies, digital and micro-credentials, and private sector engagement. These frameworks can help establish common references for recognizing competencies and supporting the portability of skills across countries and labor markets.
The TESDA chief also emphasized the growing role of industry-led qualifications and private sector certifications, including the need to integrate these credentials into national frameworks while keeping them accessible to workers and learners.
“As industry becomes more involved in defining and certifying skills, we also have to make sure that these opportunities remain accessible. Skills recognition should help open doors, not create additional barriers for those who need opportunities the most,” he said.
The session also covered mutual recognition of qualifications, digital credentials, regional qualifications frameworks, and cross-border apprenticeship and work-based learning models. Participants shared approaches from different countries and discussed how these mechanisms can contribute to greater skills mobility and stronger links between training and employment.
TESDA’s participation in the conference is part of its ongoing engagement with the global skills community to exchange knowledge, learn from international practices, and explore approaches to strengthen the country’s TVET system.
The discussions also come as the Philippines participates in WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, with 11 Filipino skilled youth competing in 10 skill areas against participants from around the world. Their participation provides an opportunity to benchmark Filipino skills against international standards and showcase the capabilities of the country’s skilled youth.
Under the leadership of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Benitez, TESDA continues to advance skills development that responds to the needs of learners, workers, and industries while expanding opportunities for Filipinos in the global labor market.The TESDA chief was joined in the panel by Commissioner Cameron Baker, Chair of the South Australian Skills Commission; Elizabeth Warn, Head of Labor Mobility at the International Organization for Migration (IOM); Zhou Hanmin, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and President of the Shanghai Public Diplomacy Association; and, Diego Andrés Lopez Garro, WorldSkills Champions Trust Representative for the Americas.
TESDA’s participation in the conference is part of its ongoing engagement with the global skills community to exchange knowledge, learn from international practices, and explore approaches to strengthen the country’s TVET system and expand opportunities for Filipinos in the global labor market. (/)
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Source: TESDA Media Office