TRAINING DEAL. Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) Eastern Visayas Regional Director Gamaliel Vicente, Jr. (left) and Toyota Tacloban, Leyte, Inc. chairman and president Jimmy Yaokasin, Jr. during the signing of a memorandum of agreement on Feb. 15, 2024. TESDA has tied up with amajor automotive dealer to train at least 20 workers in automotive servicing every two months. (PNA photo by Sarwell Meniano)
TACLOBAN CITY - The Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) has tied up with major automotive dealer Toyota Tacloban to train at least 20 workers in automotive servicing every two months.
During the signing of the agreement on Thursday, TESDA Eastern Visayas Regional Director Gamaliel Vicente, Jr., said the partnership is part of their goal to link with private firms to develop a more skilled workforce in the country.
"Our trained scholars will be a perfect match for what the Toyota workforce needs for their vehicle repair and maintenance services," Vicente said.
Each batch of 20 scholars will receive automotive servicing training at the TESDA regional training center with National Certifications I and II for 63 days.
The training is jointly funded by TESDA and Toyota.
Considered for this new scholarship are 20 to 35 Filipino citizens not current recipients of any government scholarship.
Jimmy Yaokasin, Jr., Toyota Tacloban, Leyte, Inc. chairman and president, said the training is a good opportunity for workers to “upgrade their skills and lives.”
“Learning never stops, regardless of your age. We are always concerned with how many people we will employ and how many families we will have to uplift their lives,” Yaokasin said.
Toyota, with branches in Tacloban, Ormoc City in Leyte, and Calbayog City in Samar, has about 140 workers performing the tasks of car repair and maintenance.
Yaokasin said the training will prioritize employees as well as their family members and friends who want to learn automotive servicing.
He assured that those trained would be employed by their company.
TESDA has been signing agreements with various private stakeholders to reinforce the country's technical and vocational education and training. This is in pursuit of more area-based and demand-driven skills training. (PNA)
