The country's first Regional Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Innovation Center (RTIC) has opened in Cebu, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said.
TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña who was accompanied by TESDA Deputy Director Generals Lina Sarmiento and Luis Gabriel Quisimbing led the opening with the blessing and inauguration of the RTIC together with representatives of the local government of Cebu and other government agencies.
With this, TESDA said that Cebuanos can now fill in the labor force needed by the highly industrialized region of Central Visayas.
Lapeña explained that the RTIC is an anticipation of TESDA for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) and in consonance with the Philippine Innovation Act of 2019 embodied in the National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan 2018-2019.
"The implementation of innovations in TVET must be dynamic, encompassing, and inclusive of the education and training; experimentation in research and development; and entrepreneurship education," he said in his message.
The TESDA chief envisions the RTIC to operate to respond to the demands of the export processing zones and manufacturing sector, delivering training on distinct areas of competence such as Machining.
"In the very near future, NC III and NC IV of Machining and training on Prototyping will be implemented here. Other innovative projects dictated by the industry in relations to the Industry 4.0 will also be pursued," he added.
Located at the TESDA-7 compound on Archbishop Reyes Ave., Lahug, Cebu City, the RTIC is a P40-million project constructed with the help of TESDA partner-agencies which started last December 2018 in a groundbreaking ceremony also led by Lapeña.