IP, FR graduates of TESDA now employment ready
DAVAO CITY—The Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) Davao City/Sur successfully capped off its Apprenticeship Training in Hydraulic Excavator and Dump Truck Operations of some Community Integrators (CIs) and Indigenous Peoples (IPs) on Friday, June 14, 2019.
TESDA Davao City/Sur in collaboration with the City Government of Davao, G.E. 64 Enterprises, Inc., and 16th Infantry (Maglilingkod) Battalion, conducted the graduation ceremony of the apprenticeship training which produced a total of 31 CIs and IPs from various barangays in Paquibato District.
Dubbed as the Kasanayan sa Hanapbuhay (KASH), it is TESDA’s program on Apprenticeship and Learnership under the Enterprise-Based Training which aims to provide a mechanism that will ensure availability of qualified skilled workers based on industry’s requirements.
In his speech, TESDA Davao City/Sur OIC-Provincial Director Bayani E. Gofredo shared the new directives set for TESDA including the implementation of the Executive Order (EO) 70 on the Enhanced Comprehensive Localized Integration Program (E-CLIP).
“We want to strengthen our intervention on EO 70 which had started way back 2017. This apprenticeship program is designed to provide opportunities to the labor force. This is open to all especially those who live in the far-flung barangays,” Gofredo explained.
The graduates underwent a 4-month hands-on training as operator, driver and mechanic of different heavy equipment such as hydraulic excavator, backhoe and dump truck under the G.E 64 Enterprises, Inc.
Aside from receiving free training, National Certificates (NCs) as well as toolkits from TESDA, the participants also received 75% of the existing minimum wage for a contract of 4-6 months and were provided free lodging while on training.
G.E. 64 Enterprises President Engr. Edilberto G. Garay said that he accepted the proposal to conduct training for the CIs since they are in need of additional skilled heavy equipment operators.
In addition, the company has the option to hire them as regular employee based on their performance during apprenticeship.
Meanwhile, Ltc. Rey P. Pasco, the commanding officer of the 16th Infantry Battalion, bared that their unit has a total of 96 CIs but only 31 were selected to undergo the program due to limited quota allocation.
Pasco explained that the training was intended to provide sustainable livelihood for the CIs and for them to be able to regenerate a source of income.
He added that the program aims to encourage more surrenderees by showcasing the government’s intervention.
For the completion of the training, TESDA conducted test evaluation and assessment on each participants’ performances. The graduates
