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TAGUIG CITY — New partnerships forged by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) with government, research, and industry groups are set to expand local skills training and livelihood opportunities.
This wave of collaborations, formalized through a series of Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed last September 29 in Taguig City, aim to modernize technical vocational education and training (TVET), making programs more responsive to the immediate needs of today’s workforce and emerging sectors.
TESDA Secretary Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez emphasized that as industries and the world of work continue to evolve, TESDA must also strengthen its partnerships to ensure that technical-vocational education and training TVET remains responsive to the needs of Filipinos and the economy.”
“Thirty-two years later, iba na ang mundo ng trabaho, and iba na rin ang trabaho ng TESDA. The skills, industries, and opportunities we prepare Filipinos for have changed dramatically,” Benitez said.
Among these partnerships is the collaboration with the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), which seeks to provide organizational development and capacity-building support to fisherfolk associations under the FishCoRe MARLIN Component. The partnership aims to leverage the strengths of both agencies to help diversify income opportunities for fisherfolk communities.
TESDA is also partnering with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) to establish a framework for collaboration on research, capacity building, and data-driven initiatives that can contribute to strengthening the Philippine TVET sector.
MOAs and MOUs will not just be papers
The partnership covers four key areas: research collaboration; capacity building and technical assistance; data access; and research agenda approval. Through these areas, TESDA and IPA seek to generate and use evidence that can help inform TVET policies, programs, and interventions.
Meanwhile, TESDA and the Philippine Alliance for Sustainable Solutions Foundation, Inc. (PASSFI) are working together to strengthen industry engagement in TVET, particularly in sustainability and circular economy initiatives. The partnership includes collaboration on capacity-building activities and potential access to industry facilities that can support training and assessment.
TESDA is likewise collaborating with the Private Sector Jobs and Skills Corporation (PCORP) to coordinate, consolidate, and align private sector efforts in skills development. The partnership also supports the performance and accountability of Industry TVET Boards and aims to ensure that industry participation in TVET remains responsive to workforce and industry requirements.
For inclusive skills development and livelihood support, TESDA is partnering with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to provide technical education, skills training, capacity building, livelihood assistance, and other relevant interventions. The partnership will benefit Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUDs), recovering clients and their families, members of communities in drug-cleared barangays, PDEA-assisted communities, as well as PDEA personnel.
TESDA is also strengthening its engagement with the electric vehicle and e-mobility sector through its partnership with the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), convenor of the National Industry TVET Board (NITB) for the E-Vehicle and E-Mobility subsector.
As one of the established electric vehicle industry associations in Southeast Asia, EVAP plays a role in helping align skills training with the evolving requirements, technologies, and standards of the sector. The partnership seeks to support the development of future-ready talent for the growing e-vehicle and e-mobility industry.
Finally, TESDA and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have collaborated to integrate free cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) training courses into the TESDA Online Program, aiming to equip millions of Filipinos with globally competitive digital skills and better career opportunities.
Through these partnerships, TESDA continues to bring together government, industry, academe, research, and other stakeholders to create more relevant pathways for skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning.
“As we formalize these partnerships, hindi lang ito mananatili sa papel. We look forward to seeing how these MOAs and MOUs translate into actual results, concrete programs, and ultimately, quality jobs and livelihood opportunities for as many Filipinos as possible,” the Secretary added.
Signing the agreements with the Secretary were Elizer Salilig, MFT (National Director, DA-BFAR), Aftab Opel (Country Director, Innovations for Poverty Action), Michelle Casio (President, PASSFI), Usec. Isagani Nerez (Director General, PDEA), Alfredo Antonio Ayala (Chairman, PCORP), Edmund Araga (Ex-Officio, NITB for E-Vehicle Sector/Lead Convenor, Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines), and Precious Lim (Director, Amazon Web Services). (/)
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Source: TESDA