IT FOR DEVELOPMENT. Ma. Cristina Orbecido, NOLITC school vocational administrator, gives a talk to participants of the Technology for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurial, and Economic Development (Tech4ED) training in Himamaylan City recently. The Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center has initiated the mobile Tech4ED registration to bridge the digital gap in rural areas in Negros. (Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center)
BACOLOD CITY -- The provincial government-run Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) has trained a total of 5,027 scholars since 2012.
The trainees have graduated in various competency-based programs and services under the Negros First Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) as shown in the technical-vocational center’s accomplishment report as of May 2019.
The report details the contribution of NOLITC, one of the priority programs of outgoing governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., to the growth of the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) sector in the province through talent development.
NOLITC has been offering courses on call center training, English language proficiency, 2D animation and visual graphic design, medical billing and coding, and software development.
Of the 5,027 graduates, 82 percent or 4,099 have gained employment both in the voice and non-voice sectors.
Ma. Cristina Orbecido, NOLITC school vocational administrator, told the Philippine News Agency on Monday that the center’s success is a “strong reason” to expand its programs and services.
“We have established partnerships with Australia and Japan, and these international markets have huge human resource requirements that we can explore,” she added.
Last month, the provincial government broke ground for Negros First Global Institute of Technology (NFGIT) in Talisay City, an offshoot of the NOLITC located at the Paglaum Sports Complex here.
Through the health sector program, the NFGIT will provide international standard caregiver training to provide students global qualifications that will guarantee their employment, Orbecido said.
Meanwhile, the direct jobs of NOLITC graduates since 2012 have transformed the economic landscape of the province into one of the most competitive IT-BPM destinations in the country.
Figures showed that every graduate earning a minimum of PHP10,000 a month contributes to money in circulation of about PHP40.99 million monthly, or PHP491.88 million annually in Negros Occidental.
Through scholarship vouchers from the Technical Education and Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) and other revenue streams, the center has generated more than PHP50.6 million in revenues from the Negros First TWSP.
Orbecido noted that with these assets, the NOLITC has gained fiscal economy by generating enough revenues every year and surpassing its allocated budget maintenance and other operating expenses.
Also, by capitalizing on quality and innovation, NOLITC has also received national awards and recognitions from the TESDA, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Department of the Interior and Local Government between 2012 and 2018.
In 2018, the DICT elevated NOLITC to the Hall of Fame of the National Technology for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurial, and Economic Development (Tech4ED) Awards after three years of being a Center for Excellence.
The NOLITC Tech4ED Center has been recognized for achieving consistent exemplary performance in delivering sustainable ICT-enabled services and for exhibiting commendable impact in the growth and development of the community. (PNA)
