The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) looks to boost the employment rate of graduates from engineering and technical-vocational course.
This was one of the highlights of the business-to-business (B2B) meeting held by the DOST-Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) and PEZA officials and zone managers, as well as partners for the Mold Technology Support Center (MTSC). According to DOST, the B2B meeting became an avenue to look for ways to help improve the process, products, and expertise of our local die and mold industries to make them more globally competitive. The meeting also addressed the concerns raised by the PEZA representatives in attendance; these concerns were mostly focused on how to upscale the capabilities of the current workforce and address gaps in the training needs of employees and fresh graduates. DOST mentioned that Lina Afable, Chief of the Technology Diffusion Division, pointed out that the DOST-MIRDC, through the MTSC, offers training programs focused on technical skills specific to the metals industry. “Mandato po talaga ng MIRDC ang mag-provide ng trainings to engineers, technicians, related sa metals (industry) na inaassit namin (It is part of the MIRDC's mandate to provide a series of training to engineers, technicians related to the metals [industry] that we are assisting,” Afable stated. This training will be continuously provided to be able to sustain the manpower needs of the industry. Ms. Afable also mentioned that the Center is offering to share its resources in terms of using the equipment housed in the MTSC with a very minimal introductory fee. "Ang aim ko naman (My aim) is we need to jointly promote this,”  Lyndone Dela Cruz, Industrial Relations Officer of PEZA CALABARZON said, He added that they are very open to offering PEZA’s assistance in promoting MTSC’s services to company locators whose engineers and technicians may need technical skills enhancement. The MTSC, which has been conducting training programs since its launch in 2020, was established to address the need for technology and equipment upgrading and for developing our local expertise in the die and mold industry. The MTSC is a product of Official Development Assistance from the Republic of Korea, and a testament to the successful collaboration of the DOST-MIRDC and PEZA with the Board of Investments, and the PDMA, Inc. As a follow-through to PEZA’s expression of willingness to jointly promote the MTSC’s services, Afable suggested that this endeavor may also be an avenue of collaboration between the DOST-MIRDC, PEZA, and LGUs within their respective economic zones.   As a result, the MTSC and PEZA agreed to hold more B2B meetings to promote MTSC to other zones in the CALBARZON region. The MTSC is open to those who are looking for training programs to increase their skills and technical know-how in die and mold technologies and equipment. Ultimately, the skills enhancement and technology upgrading offered by the MTSC will contribute to an increase in the employment of Filipino workers, both locally and internationally.