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International Handbook on Education in South East Asia pp 1–30 Cite as

Vocational Education and Training in the Philippines

• Aniceto C. Orbeta 3  
• First Online: 28 December 2021

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Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

This chapter provides an overview of vocational education and training (VET) in the Philippines. The system enrolls about 2.5 million students, 60% of whom are in public institutions. In terms of the number of VET institutions, however, public institutions constitute only 9%. While the VET usually starts after secondary schooling, upper secondary school has a VET track that makes graduates eligible for levels 1 and 2 of the national certification for VET graduates. Quality control starts with assessing the proposed program and the capacity of institutions wanting to offer VET courses based on training regulations (TRs) promulgated by the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Board – the highest policy-making body. The TRs guide the registration requirements, curriculum, conduct of training, and competency assessment, and certification of training programs. There are three modes of delivery: institution based (in technical vocational institutes), enterprise based, and community based. The push for the equity objective of VET has substantially increased the proportion coming out of community-based training, reaching more than 40% in 2019. Included in this mode are special programs for disadvantaged groups. The main challenges of the system include: (a) keeping the quality of community-based training, (b) promoting enterprise-based training, (c) incorporating transversal skills, (d) expanding capacities for flexible delivery modes, (e) balancing training needs of new labor entrants and upgrading required by cutting-edge production technology, (f) better utilization of allocated resources, (g) greater regulatory capacity for training in the face of rapidly changing labor market, and (h) improving the image of VET.

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Orbeta, A.C. (2022). Vocational Education and Training in the Philippines. In: Symaco, L.P., Hayden, M. (eds) International Handbook on Education in South East Asia. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8136-3_9-1

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Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the Philippines in the Age of Industry 4.0

Description

Asian Development Bank (ADB) (March, 2021) - This report highlights the vital role of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to build a competitive and socially inclusive workforce in the Philippines in the wake of Industry 4.0.

New and emerging technologies under Industry 4.0 are rapidly changing the nature of work and demand for skills around the world. Meanwhile, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is causing significant labor market upheavals. The report assesses what needs to be done to ensure the country’s TVET system, and TESDA, the agency responsible for TVET, can adapt to these rapid technological developments and also mitigate the negative impacts to the labor market.

• Foreword by the Vice-President, Asian Development Bank
• Foreword by the Director General, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
• Executive Summary
• Economic and Labor Market Context
• Technical and Vocational Education and Training and the Education System in the Philippines
• Empirical Findings for Technical and Vocational Education and Training Performance
• Conclusions and Recommendations

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Technical and vocational education and training in the Philippines: In retrospect and its future directions

• Divina Edralin San Beda University
• Ronald Pastrana San Beda University

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is the government agency tasked to manage and supervise technical education and skills development in the Philippines. In retrospect, we answered the research question: “What is the status of TVET in the Philippines as managed and supervised by TESDA and its future directions towards SDG#4? We described the evolution, goals, objectives, accomplishments, and challenges of TVET in the Philippines. We used the Philippine Qualifications Framework as the underpinning model which establishes a standard for education and training providers. We adopted the descriptive research design and the qualitative archival research approach. Findings revealed that TVET in the Philippines began when it was introduced in the Philippine education system in 1927. There were considerable accomplishments and outcomes of TVET in the Philippines in the past years such as setting the direction of TVET in the Philippines and promulgating relevant standards. These strategic efforts contributed to the employment of TVET graduates, improving the quality of their skills needed by the industry, and having a clearer policy direction on how TVET is implemented in the country. Problems and challenges encountered in the supervision and implementation are related to the poor quality of graduates, low employment of graduates, as well as weak structural and policy implementation as shown by the lack of closer coordination among the TVET stakeholders. We recommended aligning the curriculum development of TVET with the present Philippine Development Plan 2022-2028 and the needs of the industry including the demands of Industry 4.0 to strengthen TVET in the Philippines and align its future direction with SDG#4.

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International Journal of Manpower

ISSN : 0143-7720

Article publication date: 1 December 1997

Aims to bring a new angle to, in fact to complete the triangle of, industrial training studies, which have focused on training institutions and the firms. The third angle, the trainees, has often been neglected, appearing only as figures, enrolment, drop‐outs, graduates, etc. A comprehensive policy on industrial training would be incomplete without appraising experience of trainees and taking their views seriously. Examines research based on three surveys among potential, current and past trainees. The experience and views of the trainees should be taken as a major parameter in technical and vocational education (TVET) strategy, planning and programme implementation. Finds that trainees have expressed clear views on the relevance of the TVET programmes they have attended/are attending, and on the quality of public and private training. Findings of the surveys have some relevance to labour market policy, specifically on mobility, labour turnover, labour market information and employment of women.

• Labour mobility
• Phillipines
• Staff turnover
• Vocational training

Abdelkarim, A. (1997), "Technical and vocational education and training in the Philippines: experience and views of trainees", International Journal of Manpower , Vol. 18 No. 8, pp. 675-701. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437729710192809

Copyright © 1997, MCB UP Limited

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Reshaping the Philippines’ Tech-Voc Education

Technical Vocational Education has been around in the Philippines for many years, enabling individuals to gain knowledge in many different industries in a specific amount of time. Individuals such as stay-at-home moms, out-of-school youths, drug dependants, seniors/retirees, unemployed people, and surrenderees are specifically targeted.

It is also the first choice for people who have completed secondary school because some cannot afford the expenses related to obtaining a degree.

However, there is still a stigma in the Philippines for graduates of technical vocational courses when it comes to job opportunities. That is something I believe the government should pay close attention to. Providing a higher level of skill and education comparable to that of a degree holder. So that they both have the same opportunity, treatment, honor, and recognition.

But if only our technical-vocational institutes (TVI) are managed and monitored well, they will be able to produce world-class and skilled graduates who can compete strongly against our neighboring countries. Because tech-voc graduates can fill an important role in different industries in the country and overseas. And if our tech-voc graduates become job-ready and globally competitive, they could contribute a lot to the national income and economy.

Like the highly-industrialized countries Japan, Singapore, and Korea have made necessary advancements in their educational system, focusing on academic excellence and technological innovation. These progressive countries teach their citizens to become productive, income-generating, and contribute to the national coffers. They emphasize the quality of products and services and invested in technical training. These countries believe in the strength of their manpower and their role in the national economy.

“Philippine TVET ang pag-asa para sa kinabukasan ng mamamayan at ng bayan, kung maayos at maganda ang programa.” Tony Galvez, an expert in the technical and vocational education and training industry in the country once said.

A Need for Framework Revision

Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, CEO of Ayala Corporation, one of the country’s top corporations, and a staunch advocate for the importance of technical skills in our society, once expressed that a vocational or technical degree should be given a prominent position in our country’s educational framework. The curriculum should be wider and the accreditation status should be improved significantly so that it will produce young graduates with specific skills that match the market needs.

In the Philippines, the two main agencies tasked with providing basic education in the country are DepEd, or Department of Education for the academics, and TESDA which stands for Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, which is mandated to provide direction, policies, programs, and standards towards quality technical education and skills development.

The two bodies should complement each other so that there will be no overlapping of roles that could create conflicts in the implementation of their programs.

However, it seems that the curriculum of these two bodies has created some challenges for both of them. Ever since the K-12 curriculum has been implemented, DepEd has gotten some resources from TESDA because the tech-voc curriculum should be handled by experts in the technical field and not by a regular teacher. So this phenomenon, which was unseen as the would-be effect of the K-12, needs to be resolved.

Give TESDA Free Rein

TESDA should be given complete responsibility by the government for technical and vocational training, a separate agency from DOLE, DTI, and DepEd. However, TESDA needs to go beyond providing instructions and training. Skills assessment should be thorough and must meet globally-competitive criteria.

And lastly, granting professional licenses to successful graduates would give them the recognition that would elevate their status from merely a tech-voc graduate into a professional practitioner of their chosen skill. Possessing a license gives graduates a sense of pride and achievement.

Licensing should be the goal that each tech-voc graduate must aim for because acquiring a license would give them a right to demand a higher salary and compensation for their services. And most of all, they can be on par with the technical graduates of progressive countries.

The licensure tests is the final ‘’quality control’’ check before tech-voc graduates are allowed to practice a profession which depends on the lives of people or safety of buildings like carpenters, cosmetology and culinary graduates among many other service-oriented fields.

Licensure examination is but one wheel in the big cog of the Philippine Qualifications Framework. The said framework supposedly sets multiple criteria that measure quality assurance principles and standards of the Filipino professional, technician, and craftsman.

Performing this mandate would mean for TESDA to do a much-needed review of its services and offers. What could TESDA offer to their future enrollees to attract more of them in the future and for TESDA to be an effective arm of the government for manpower development?

Reshaping Tech-Voc

It is proposed that the tech-voc curriculum is on two tracks: meaning the courses offered will be either service-oriented or product-oriented.

These two classifications will serve different purposes and will be monitored differently as well;

Product-Oriented Tracks

No prequisite

Only product quality control

Do not require higher academic achievement

This is measured only through quality contril

Service-Oriented Tracks

Pre-requisite: HS graduate

Customer and Pratitioner’s Protection Service

Service-Oriented professions are measure by quality of service thru customer satisfaction

It promotes respect, prestige, and protection to the client and also the practitioner

Product-oriented tracks are designed to alleviate poverty and provide income-generating projects to barangay folks like stay-at-home moms, out-of-school youths, drug dependents, seniors/retirees, jobless folks, and surrenderees. Some of these product-oriented tracks are called cottage industries and can be done in the backyard or a factory for SMEs. Some of these are:

The training package for this track must include:

Salesmanship/Entrepreneurship, managerial, marketing and bookkeeping. These livelihood trainings are best for barangays and provincial training through Barangay Kasanayan para sa kabuhayan at kapayapaan (BKKK) set by TESDA. TESDA will also provide the necessary tools and materials as well as equipment for this skill training.

The Service-Oriented Sectors/industries are the following:

The above mentioned are all professional tracks and require a high school diploma as a basic requirement. Tech-voc service-oriented profession is not just a simple trade and all service-oriented tracks will be identified by specific specialization based on the industry qualification.

“Kaya ang Build, Build, Build, medyo atrasado ng konti. Walang trabahante. We are lacking in experts in carpentry, welding, and other technical skills. We have a lot of jobless because they are not qualified even in vocational, especially construction.” President Rodrigo expressed in one of his speeches.

As of now, joblessness and lack of experts in vocational and technical skills is a big concern, but if TESDA will be given free rein, TESDA can perform its main mandate faster and more efficiently.

In the COVID-19 recovery phase, there are opportunities for smart investment in tech-voc education and training to “build back better” programs and systems. Tech-voc may be able to cater to students who dropped out during school closures and reskilling or upskilling those who have become unemployed.

Tech-voc can also facilitate the development of skills necessary for the adjustment to structural changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Continued focus on ensuring the acquisition and development of foundational cognitive and socioemotional skills, such as empathy and resilience, which have become increasingly valued in the current circumstances, will improve employability and other human development outcomes for tech-voc students.

Moreover, investment in learning technology and digital skills of tech-voc instructors and students can ensure lifelong access to learning opportunities and future workforce adaptability.

To conclude, if our TVETs follow global standards and are just competitive with that our Asian neighbors, there will be fewer OFWs because TVET graduates can establish their businesses and can get better-paying jobs locally.

TESDA should be independent of other government agencies in terms of providing technical-vocational training and education. However, other agencies can complement because agencies like DepEd, help in the basic education of children, while DOLE and DTI assist in the employment and livelihood programs respectively.

Good, high-paying jobs await qualified tech-voc grads. If only they’re given proper incentives, multisectoral support, and a supportive policy environment, the tech-voc track can also be a viable alternative for young Filipinos who wish to lead productive lives.

We may still have a long way toward strengthening our tech-voc ecosystem in the country, but with a little help and support from the government, industry, and academe, we are making crucial inroads that lay the foundation for the future. As we promote tech-voc to the youth to undergo tech-voc training, we hope that tech-voc professionalism and licensing will soon be implemented as well.

And hopefully, in the coming years and decades, the state of tech-voc education in the Philippines would further be improved so that when we ask Filipino children what they want to be when they grow up, we hope many of them will also answer that they would want to take the tech-voc path and become a carpenter, a forklift driver or a farming technician. And by then, these children would no longer be laughed at or looked down with the career choices they’ve made.

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Technical Vocational Education in the Philippines for Sustainable Development

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This research aims to investigate the role of Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) in promoting sustainable development in the Philippines. A review of related literature was conducted to identify best practices and strategies for promoting the development of the TVE sector. The findings of this research suggest that updating curricula, investment in infrastructure and technology, and a stronger emphasis on lifelong learning can help to promote sustainable development in the Philippines. Additionally, the integration of green skills and environmental education and partnerships with industry can play a crucial role in promoting sustainable development. This research highlights the importance of addressing the challenges facing the TVE sector, including the need for innovative pedagogical approaches and investment in infrastructure and technology. The government, educators, and the private sector have a critical role to play in promoting the development of the TVE sector and ensuring its continued contribution to sustainable development in the Philippines.

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TESDA signs pact with partners for vigorous technical, vocational training in Western Visayas

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• by Lilibeth French
• Apr. 1, 2024 4:03 pm in News

ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was recently signed between the regional office of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Western Visayas and partners in the industry to further strengthen their partnership and collaboration for vigorous and quality responsive training and technical education in the region.

TESDA Regional Director Francisco Sunico, Jr., and leaders and representatives from government agencies, non-government agencies, academe and industries signed the agreement on March 26.

In his message during the signing ceremony, Sunico told partners that the agreement they signed represents a commitment, a pledge, for their shared journey to better the lives of learners by providing them with quality, responsive training and technical education that only their meaningful and productive collaboration and partnership can enable.

“Navigating the 21st century environment requires an adaptive mindset and agility in the way we do things. The language of governance is embraced in 4 C’s: cooperation, consensus, collaboration, convergence,” said Sunico.

He added that some of the partnership arrangements involve the design and development of CS; trainers’ and assessors’ development; the conduct of

training and assessment; employment facilitation; research and development; and technology and innovation, among others.

The Iloilo Science and Technology University was one of the 28 partners that signed the agreement and renewed its commitment to partner with TESDA on program registration, trainers and assessors’ development, and accreditation of assessment centers. ISAT is offering several TVET related courses.

According to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – Iloilo, another signatory to the agreement, their partnership with TESDA is timely, especially on skills development since there are skills required by the industries that are not available at the moment. The partnership with TESDA can help fill the gap.

Other stakeholders that partnered with TESDA for this significant step towards providing quality programs and projects are NEA-EC Training Institute; ILECO I, II and III; Guimelco; Capelco; NOCECO; Department of Agriculture; PhilFDA; Department of Trade and Industry; Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Health,  Enrique Galvan Construction Services; Edison C. Builders and Constructions Supply; F. Gurrea Construction Inc; Yul Metal Craft; Iloilo Coffee Board; Iloilo Federation of Information Technology (IFIT), among others.

The initiative is anchored on the thrusts and priorities of TESDA Secretary Suharto Teng Mangudadatu to engage the stakeholders, especially the private industry sector, to invest and participate in TVET to improve the agency’s quality of training delivery and make them aligned and respond to the demands of the new world of work.

All TESDA offices, schools, and training centers had their own partner mobilization and collaboration building initiatives leading to their respective MOA signings. (AAL/LAF/PIA6-Iloilo)

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