A total of 73,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their dependents have enrolled and graduated from the Technical Education Skill Development Authority (TESDA) Skills Training Program and Online Program since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last March.
"Yung mga nag-train po sa amin (Those who trained with us) we have 85 percent employability rate so more likely our OFWs who have trained are either employed or they have their own businesses or livelihood," said TESDA director general, Secretary Isidro Lapena during the Palace press briefing on Tuesday.
As part of its banner program during this pandemic dubbed as "TESDA Abot Lahat: TVET Towards the New Normal", the agency continues to prioritize the returning overseas workers through "TESDA Abot Lahat ang OFWs" which deployed OFW Malasakit Desks in every international airport in the country.
TESDA has provided special and accessible registration for returning OFWs applying for scholarships through the TESDA mobile app. OFWs were also invited to take online courses in the TESDA Online Program (TOP) for their re-skilling or up-skilling needs.
TOP is an open educational resource that aims to make technical vocational education and training (TVET) more accessible to Filipino citizens and widen their chances of employment or sources of livelihood.
It offers free online courses such as Computer Systems Servicing NC II, Food Processing NC II, Bread and Pastry NC II, Housekeeping NC II and other courses from sectors such as automotive, agriculture, entrepreneurship, healthcare, among others.
TESDA has also partnered with telecom provider Globe enabling subscribers of mobile networks Globe and TM to have free data access to TOP at https://www.e-tesda.gov.ph/ which started August 10. They can visit the site anytime they want using their Globe or TM - powered mobile device even without load and without incurring any data charges.
With regards to COVID-19 response, the agency also developed an online course on COVID-19 prevention in the workplace accessible through TOP.
Entitled “Practicing COVID-19 Preventive Measures in the Workplace” the free two-and-a-half-hour online course was originally intended for TESDA employees as part of the Agency’s precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in the workplace. However, Lapeña directed to make it available to the public as well.
Just two weeks ago, TESDA also launched contact tracing training led by TESDA-NCR through the MuntiParLasTaPat District Training and Assessment Center, formally opening the Contact Tracing Level II Training Program with 25 pioneer students.
Contact Tracing Level II Training Program lasts for 15 days or 120 hours of full-online mode of training delivery with 8 hours of training per day.
In this training program, students can learn how to develop competencies on conducting case investigation and contact identification, planning an investigation and interview, evaluating the results of their interviews, profiling of contacts and data recording, conducting referral to health facility or quarantine, coordinating with health workers and even drivers during the transport of close contacts, and monitoring the patient during transport.
TESDA will provide each trainee with P2,400 for the whole training duration or P60 per day as a training allowance, with P500 for PPE and another P500 for their mobile data.