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The Philippine Economic Zone Authority and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority signed an MOU to further strengthen the Philippine workforce in response to the needs of a rapidly-evolving economy
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A particular focus of the partnership is skills development and job matching, including integrating OFWs into the local labor market
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Focus sectors include manufacturing, transportation, logistics, and IT-BPM
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Through the MOU, PEZA and TESDA will administer skills surveys, customize training modules, and facilitate job matching for workers
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) signed on January 22 a memorandum of understanding to better align skills training with industry demands.
The collaboration aims to combine the expertise of PEZA and TESDA to foster a globally competitive workforce that will drive economic growth and attract investments, PEZA said in a statement.
Focus sectors under the MOU include manufacturing, transportation, logistics, and information technology-business process management.
Skills development and job matching, including integrating overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) into the local labor market, is also a particular concern.
PEZA director general Tereso Panga said the partnership ensures Filipino workers’ skills align with the “evolving needs of industries locally and abroad,” while also noting that Filipino workers, including OFWs, “are highly sought after worldwide.”
TESDA director general Jose Francisco Benitez said the MOU “addresses the need for a stronger, more capable workforce across the country.” He highlighted the potential of TESDA’s Enterprise-Based Education and Training program to provide industry-focused, hands-on training for job readiness.
Through the MOU, PEZA and TESDA will administer skills surveys, customize training modules, and facilitate job matching for workers, including OFWs. They will also collaborate on developing job matching systems and industry immersion programs for TESDA trainers.
“PEZA’s success stories are rooted in our world-class, English-proficient, and highly skilled workforce,” Panga said, adding that the workers’ global competitiveness “continues to attract investments in manufacturing and services.”
Benitez said there are ongoing initiatives to develop the Philippine Skills Framework for electronics, semiconductors, and construction, alongside efforts to enhance training programs aligned with emerging technologies and industry requirements.
Currently, there are 1.8 million Filipinos directly employed by locators in PEZA economic zones nationwide.
Apart from workforce development, PEZA and TESDA also collaborated on the establishment of TESDA training facilities within ecozones, offering micro-credential vocational-technical courses to workers and the implementation of internship program providing professional learning experience for graduating college students by participating ecozone locators.
The PEZA-TESDA partnership is expected to benefit not only workers within economic zones but also the broader Philippine economy by boosting productivity, creating more jobs, and fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth, PEZA said.
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