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TESDA searches for most skillful learners in W. Visayas

By Perla Lena

May 24, 2019, 11:21 am

<p><strong>SKILLS OLYMPICS.</strong> Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Regional Director Ashary A. Banto (third from left, front row) takes a picture with provincial TESDA officials and participants of the ongoing Western Visayas Skills Olympics at the Regional Training Center in Iloilo on Thursday (May 23, 2019). The olympics hoped to get the best learners to represent Western Visayas to TESDA's zonal competition in Davao. <em>(Photo courtesy of TESDA 6)</em></p>

SKILLS OLYMPICS. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Regional Director Ashary A. Banto (third from left, front row) takes a picture with provincial TESDA officials and participants of the ongoing Western Visayas Skills Olympics at the Regional Training Center in Iloilo on Thursday (May 23, 2019). The olympics hoped to get the best learners to represent Western Visayas to TESDA's zonal competition in Davao. (Photo courtesy of TESDA 6)

ILOILO CITY -- A four-day skills competition is ongoing at the Regional Training Center (RTC) of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in this city, in search of the most skillful learner to represent Western Visayas in the zonal competition in Davao.

TESDA 6 (Western Visayas) Director Ashary A. Banto said in an interview Thursday that the regional skills competition is an “avenue to showcase the quality of TESDA graduates and learners”. The competition kicked off May 21 and will end on May 24.

“This year, Western Visayas will be submitting competitors for the zonal competition in Davao. We will be participating in 10 competition areas,” he said.

He added that the 10 competition areas are critical sectors because they also serve as key employment generators. These are cooking, electrical installation technology, electronics, fashion technology, hairdressing, information technology (IT) network administration, joinery, restaurant service, welding technology, and automobile technology.

“These are areas where we have a big chance of winning because this year, we are hoping for the gold. We have pre-determined this,” Banto added.

The participants came from public and private Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) providers and TESDA Technology Institutes (TTIs). They identified and “incubated” their students to ensure winning.

Apart from representing Western Visayas to the zonal skills competition, he said joining the event in Davao is like hitting two birds with one stone.

“The event will be witnessed by prospective employers. Whether or not they win, there is a great probability that employers will already hire from among the candidates,” he said.

Banto added that after the zonal competition, which is participated in by Visayas and Mindanao, the winners will again compete in the Philippine National Skills Competition. The winners in the national competition will join the 2020 ASEAN Skills Competition in Singapore.

Western Visayas used to win gold in past skills competitions.

He said that probably a bit of pressure was added when he shared with participants the “past glory” of the region.

“Western Visayas is a benchmark of the other regions in so far as this kind of competitions is concerned. We are hoping to achieve a gold now,” Banto added. (PNA)

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