MANILA, Philippines – A few years back, Filipino workers were recipients of the gift of education and technical training from the Republic of Korea through the three Kor-Phil Centers for the areas of information and communications technology (ICT), and agriculture mechanization.
The Kor-Phil Centers in Quezon City and Bulacan were established to develop and showcase Filipino talents in animation and software development, while the one in Davao is for the development of globally-competitive Filipino workers in agriculture mechanization.
These training facilities were grant-in-aid projects of the South Korean Government through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
Last week, KOICA again signed a memorandum of agreement with TESDA and the Department of National Defense for the establishment of a Human Resource Development Center, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Signatories to the agreement were KOICA vice-president Dongwon Ahn, DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and Secretary Joel Villanueva, TESDA Director General.
Under the new agreement, the South Korean government will invest in the construction of the HRD Training Center, provide training equipment, dispatch Korean experts to the Philippines, and train Filipino officials and trainers in Korea.
Strengthening HRD capacity
The HRD Center which will be operational in 2013. Through the Center, TESDA will be able to expand the reach of its TVET Trainers Training Program (TTTP) designed to upgrade the competencies of trainers including the school administrators.
The TTTP aims to qualify the existing corps of TVET trainers to the next higher levels (Levels 2 to 4) in accordance with the Philippine TVET Trainers Qualifications Framework (PTTQF). Some 2,000 TVET trainers and school administrators will be trained under the joint project in the next five years.
The Korean government will also provide training facilities for Korean language and culture training.
TRAINERS TRAINING IN KOREA
TESDA will recruit qualified trainers with high proficiency in English for the training program in Korea in the fields of animation, game development programming, mechatronics, instrumentation and control servicing, electrical installation and maintenance, and Korean language and culture.
After the overseas training, the trainers will be required to work for the project and teach at the HRD Center.
KOICA vice president Dongwon Ahn said that the training center will also serve as a memorial for the Filipinos who bravely fought alongside South Korea during the Korean War some 60 years ago.
KOICA has steadily increased the volume of its Official Development Assistance (ODA) programs to the Philippines since its establishment in 1991. The agency is a long-time development partner of TESDA in the development of Filipino skilled workers. And the HRD Center is a testament to this development partnership.
For details on TESDA programs and services, call 887-7777, send SMS message 0917-4794370 (Globe) 0918-2738232 (Smart) or email contactcenter@tesda.gov.ph.
Share this page
