MANILA — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) bared the top courses preferred by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who have sought the agency's assistance at the help desks set up at the country's major airports.
Data sent to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Thursday revealed that the OFWs' top course choices were in the fields of tourism, infrastructure, land transportation, metals and engineering, and information and communications technology.
Others were interested in automotive, healthcare services, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration, language and culture, processed food and beverages, and semiconductor and electronics courses.
“Once the OFWs have given us their desired training programs, we refer them to the schools or training centers nearest their homes which are currently implementing the courses,” said Luz Victoria Amponin, executive director, TESDA’s Partnerships and Linkages Office.
OFWs can inquire and seek a referral from the OFWs Desks put up at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminals 1 and 3 and at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport since May.
Data also showed that the OFWs who availed of the assistance from the desks came from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates (UEA).
Beverly Mercado was a babysitter in UAE for three months. She just came back last weekend.
"I am thinking of availing of a TESDA course, particularly the caregiver course, because this is in-demand," she told the PNA.
OFWs remain among TESDA’s priorities in its free training programs.
TESDA has assisted more than 3,000 OFWs in the first half of 2018. About 900 of them were assisted via the OFWs desks at the airports.
The agency also assists OFWs through its One Stop Service Centers for OFWs located at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration offices. (PNA)
