The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TESDA) said on Wednesday that more than 600,000 students will complete their training this year, as the agency expands the reach of its programs.
“The budget we received for 2026 will allow us to have about 630,000 to 650,000 scholarship vacancies, so we think that those will be graduates this year,” TESDA Director General Jose Francisco B. Benitez told reporters in a press conference.
“We thank the President that this is the largest education budget in the history of the Philippines,” he added.
TESDA offers about 20,000 training programs through different channels, including its digital platforms, such as Skills Passport. “We did all this to increase the access of Filipinos to the training we offer,” said Mr. Benitez.
“We believe that when every Filipino is given more skills and opportunities to develop their skills, our nation will continue to progress,” he added in Filipino.
TESDA Skills Passport enables users and employers to access digital certificates through a quick response (QR) code. The app also shows nearby TESDA programs, schools, and testing centers.
“You can find everything you want about TESDA and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) within the application,” said Mr. Benitez.
The institute said the programs that see the greatest influx of students are construction, tourism and hospitality, information and communication technology (ICT), artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, and healthcare.
“In fact, the demand is not only domestic, but also global. Therefore, in fact, it is the same sectors that generate job opportunities,” said Mr. Benitez.
In addition to TESDA graduates, about 1.7 million Filipinos graduate annually from TVET programs. “They are not technically graduates, but they are also able to receive training,” said Mr. Benitez.
TESDA said it intends to further improve its employment rate through the micro-credentialing program and business-based education.
“If there are four new skills in the certificate, we will ensure less because the disparity will only increase,” said Mr. Benitez in Filipino.
“In business-based education, the business, the industry itself, is part of the planning of the training program so that we can be sure that the training program is in line with what they need,” he added.
On average, the TESDA official noted that the employment rate of TESDA students in all fields ranges from 83% to 86%. However, a report by the Second Congress Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) found that only 38% of TVET graduates found jobs six months after completing their studies. – Almira Louise S. Martinez
