The proposed Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council (ATC) by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has been approved during the 36th ASEAN Summit.
TESDA said that the ATC recognizes the prime importance of TVET as a key sector to ensuring human resource development in the region.
The ATC, which seeks to provide a platform for coordination, research and development on innovations and monitoring of programs for TVET advancement in the region, was proposed by TESDA in 2017.
“In order to improve the competitiveness of our workers and industries, we must have faster progress on human capital development. In this regard, we welcome the establishment of the ASEAN TVET Council,” said President Duterte during the 36th ASEAN Summit.
With the advent of the Industry 4.0, TESDA resonated the need for the ASEAN TVET Council that aims to harmonize and streamline the various regional initiatives on technical vocational training being undertaken primarily to respond to the effects and implications of technological transformation and digitalization to economies, industries, and employment.
“We welcome this development and TESDA would like to thank our neighbors in the region. This would mean our future graduates and workers will be more competitive with market-responsive skills, have greater employment opportunities here and overseas, and will be more productive in the digital economy,” said TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña.
Through the ATC, TESDA sees better future coordination among member states in advancing TVET, particularly in the following areas: labor market information system, skills competitions, and skills need anticipation; TVET researches; improving the image of TVET; capacity-building for trainers and assessment of their quality; TVET quality assurance in ASEAN member states; and TVET implementation and financing.
The ATC is targeted to be launched in September 2020 in Vietnam, together with the ASEAN Human Resources Development (HRD) Conference and the launch of the ASEAN HRD Roadmap.
The Philippines, through TESDA, is also looking forward to assuming the inaugural Chairmanship and hosting the 1st Meeting of the ATC in 2021.