To address labor mismatch: Construction stakeholders launch mobile training

CEBU, Philippines — In a move to address the persistent labor mismatch in the Philippine construction industry, contractors in Cebu, in collaboration with business leaders and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), are set to launch mobile training centers to bring technical education directly to underserved communities across the province.

The initiative, which was officially unveiled during “Philconstruct Visayas 2025,” aims to upskill young workers in trades such as masonry, plumbing, painting, welding, and electrical installation—skills that remain in high demand among local contractors.

“We want to reach far-flung municipalities where employment opportunities in construction are out of reach simply because training isn’t accessible,” said Engr. Rizalito Casinilio, Chairman of the CEO Forum and a key organizer of Philconstruct Visayas 2025.

“Instead of asking young people to travel to Cebu City and bear the costs, we will bring the training to them,” Casinillo noted.

The pilot project is designed to be highly mobile, with fully equipped modular facilities deployed to rural areas for up to a month at a time, supported by certified trainers and a ready-made curriculum aligned with TESDA standards.

Bridging the Employment Divide

According to Engr. Bernard Vonn Sia, Chairman of Philconstruct Visayas 2025, the project is responding to a glaring mismatch: thousands of unemployed youth on one side and a growing shortage of skilled labor on the other.

“There is a deep imbalance in the labor market,” Sia explained, adding that firms are actively hiring, but they can’t find workers with the right qualifications.

“This program is meant to close that gap. We already have the infrastructure—what we need now is to scale this before the year ends,” Sia added.

The mobile centers are expected to be deployed across several towns by late 2025, targeting areas with high youth unemployment and limited access to vocational training.

What makes the initiative potentially sustainable, stakeholders said, is the strong and immediate demand from employers.

“Many contractors are ready to hire, but hesitant to train workers who may not meet their standards,” Sia noted.

“That’s where our partnership with TESDA and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) comes in.

“With over 150 members in the Cebu Contractors Association and close to 1,000 firms under the Chamber, we’re building a reliable employment pathway for trainees,” Sia further explained.

The collaboration between government and private stakeholders reflects a growing recognition that skills development must be localized, targeted, and responsive to the actual demands of the market—particularly in a sector poised for growth amid renewed infrastructure spending.

The mobile training centers, industry leaders believe, will serve not only as a workforce solution but as a motivator for inclusive economic development in provinces that have long been left behind in the country’s industrial push.

“This is about access and opportunity,” Casinilio added. “If a barangay captain can gather 50 young people in Balamban who are ready to be trained, then we’ll bring the classroom to them.”

As the Philippine construction sector prepares for expansion—buoyed by public-private infrastructure projects and regional development—the success of this initiative could serve as a model for nationwide replication.