The Philippines has hosted the first ASEAN Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council meeting.
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary Isidro Lapeña convened Wednesday, March 10, the members of the ASEAN TVET Council for its first meeting via virtual conferencing platform.

In a statement on Friday, March 12, TESDA said the first meeting focused on the selection of the council’s vice-chair, discussion of the rules of procedure, and the development of a work plan of strategies to enhance industry participation, and address emerging issues brought by the ongoing pandemic, technological transformations, and other developments.
Lapeña noted that the council intends to review the ASEAN TVET agenda, in light of the anticipated challenges and impacts of the fourth industrial revolution to our workforce, especially to the low- and middle-level skilled workers.
“The pandemic accelerated the predicted technological revolution, and this has triggered sudden, unprecedented shifts in our education systems and employment landscape. Learning from this experience, we shall build our capacities and establish effective response mechanisms to withstand these kinds of disruptions in the future,” he said.
The council has identified the six priority areas to consider in the work plan which include market-responsive workforce, research, TVET image, quality assurance, qualification of TVET professionals, and TVET implementation and financing.
The TESDA chief also highlighted the important areas for collaboration given the council’s composition having representatives of ASEAN from education, labor and economic sectors, including business and industry sectors, among others.
He cited lifelong learning, promotion of digital and 21st century skills, digitalization of our systems, flexible learning and training delivery models, as among the common areas that the council may consider for collaboration.
“Let us take this opportunity to look ahead and think of our priorities and the urgent policy reforms needed in our TVET and skills development systems,” Lapeña said.
The ATC expects the work plan to be approved by the ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting (AEMM), ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting (ASED), and ASEAN Labor Ministers Meeting (ALMM) by the third quarter of this year.
During the meeting, Singapore accepted the vice-chairmanship of the ATC.
TESDA assumed the inaugural chairmanship of the council last August 4, 2020.