More Pinoys, including retirees taking up vocational courses

MANILA, Philippines - Who says there is no life after retirement?In an effort to provide employment or additional sources of income, the government is now offering free skills training not only for young Filipinos, but older people as well.Pastor Guiao, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director general, said even retirees could take up vocational courses from their agency and engage in a gainful activity.

“Anybody can enroll in any of TESDA’s schools and training centers and we don’t discriminate,” Guiao disclosed.

Based on a recent study conducted by TESDA, Guiao said graduates of technical vocational courses have higher chances of getting employment than college graduates.

“The skills they learned are very much in demand and are attuned to the needs of companies. The courses they have chosen were based on their occupational interest and aptitude. That is why they completed their courses and do not have difficulty looking for jobs,” Guiao explained.

According to Guiao TESDA consults with industry representatives in the identification of in-demand occupations and sits down with them in the design of the curriculum. 

Results of TESDA study indicated that a high 55 percent of their graduates were already employed and more than one-third got their jobs in less than a month while a fourth were employed within one to three months after completing their courses.

The biggest number of graduates were employed in the following business sectors: footwear and leathergoods; land transportation; processed food and beverages; business process outsourcing; heating, ventilation and air-conditioning; metals and engineering; construction and furniture and fixtures.  

Majority of these graduates receive a monthly income of P5,000 to P20,000. On the average, their monthly earning is placed at P8,885.74 which is higher than the average basic pay of wage and salary workers of P288.95 per day or P6,136 per month, Guiao noted.

Guiao said the reality now is that most of the successful workers and entrepreneurs have taken at least one or two tech-voc courses.

Enrollment in tech-voc courses has in fact increased over the years and has reached 1.98 million in 2009, Guiao said while adding that half of the enrollees were high school graduates while 13 percent were already college graduates. 

Those with entrepreneurial spirit, on the other hand, may wish to set up their own small business and since they have the skills, they may open a small service or repair shop in their neighborhood.

For our unemployed married women, Guiao said the simplest way to earn is by taking up short service-related courses in massage, cosmetology or beauty culture and offering their services to their relatives, friends and other members of their community.