VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
Technical-Vocational (Tech-Voc) courses are part of the non-formal education in the
Philippines. Under the Republic Act 7796, the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) is mandated to provide technical education and skills development
programs for the Filipino learners. The Tech-Voc programs allow out-of-school-youth and
other interested students to learn practical skills that will prepare them for employment.
Over the last years, more and more individuals are enrolling to TESDA-certified short courses
being offered by various institutions throughout the country. In an October 2017 survey report
of the Philippine Statistics Authority more than 2 million individuals enrolled and graduated
under the Technical-Vocational Education and Training programs.
The trend in contemporary K–12 vocational education is away from the use of the word
vocational to label these programs. Most states have selected a broader term, although a few
use vocational technical education. A number of states have followed the lead of the national
vocational education organizations and adopted the term career and technical education. Others
use variations, such as career and technology education and professional-technical education,
and several states include the word workforce in describing these programs. The changes in
terminology reflect a changing economy, in which technical careers have become the mainstay.
When the term career education first became popular in the 1970s, it was distinguished from
vocational education by its emphasis on general employability and adaptability skills
applicable to all occupations, while vocational education was primarily concerned with
occupational skill training for specific occupations. That basic definition of career education
remains appropriate today.
The purpose of career and technical education is to provide a foundation of skills that enable
high school students to be gainfully employed after graduation–either full-time or while
continuing their education or training. Nearly two-thirds of all graduates of career and technical
programs enter some form of postsecondary program.
Across the United States, career and technical education programs are offered in about 11,000
comprehensive high schools, several hundred vocational-technical high schools, and about
1,400 area vocational-technical centers. Public middle schools typically offer some career and
technical education courses, such as family and consumer sciences and technology education.
About 9,400 postsecondary institutions offer technical programs, including community
colleges, technical institutes, skill centers, and other public and private two-and four-year
colleges. In 2001 there were 11 million secondary and postsecondary career and technical
education students in the United States, according to the U.S. Office of Educational Research
and Improvement.
IVETA (International Vocational Education and Training Association) is a network of
vocational educators. The network includes vocational skills training organizations, business
and industrial firms, and other individuals and groups interested or involved in vocational
education and training worldwide. IVETA is dedicated to the advancement and improvement
of high-quality vocational education and training throughout the world.
IVETA is working to create a new era in communication among vocational educators across
the globe. Members include practitioners, researchers, and students in the field of vocational
education and training as well as institutions, organizations, and companies actively engaged
in human resource development. Click here to read IVETA's Mission and Vision.
In response to the youth unemployment rate and the desire for students to learn employable
skills, the TESDA has been actively promoting its schools and learning centers as the more
practical option to high school students. TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva said: “I
know the idea of a college or university education is always appealing. But TVET is more
affordable, hands-on, and the path to a good job is shorter.”
TESDA supports a number of TVET centres across the Philippines, all of which train students
in vocations that are vital to the country’s growing economy.For example:
• The Auto Mechanic Training Center in Tacloban, Leyte is funded by Isuzu Motors Limited
of Japan and has seen 117 graduates since the centre opened in 2008, most of whom are now
working for Isuzu Philippines.
• Carpentry training courses are proving popular: “Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz recently
announced that a study showed that the high demand for carpenters is expected to continue in
the next five to ten years.”
A similar but different response to TESDA training centres is the ‘boutique’ college. A private
hospitality management school called Enderun Colleges is growing in popularity and
expanding the number of courses it offers. President Javier Infante explained, “Just like big
hotels and boutique hotels, we are a boutique management school. It’s smaller, it’s new and a
different approach.” Enderun has partnered with a number of schools and colleges in Europe,
the US and other parts of Asia to send its students on a semester abroad.
TVET goes international
A number of countries have partnered with TESDA either to receive its expertise or to train its
experts. Projects like those listed below are there for the taking for any overseas providers
wishing to develop their international influence in technical and vocational education.
In July 2012, Bangladesh sent 22 vocational education teachers and supervisors to the
Philippines to study the technical education and training system. This was the third such group,
the first two having visited in 2010 and 2011.
Two teams of officials from various Indian and Bangladesh ministries spent time studying
TVET best practices in January of last year, hoping to take away ideas with them to adopt in
their own countries. Secretary Joel Villanueva, Director General TESDA said, “We hope we
can be a good role model to countries in pursuing the TVET track.”
TESDA schools and centres are creating graduates with employable skills which will
contribute to the thriving economy. As Director General Villanueva has said,“TVET could just
offer the best chance at a solid career to graduates, and the savior against the rising
unemployment.”
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is the postsecondary education
sector, providing noncredit, technical middle-level skills training to produce skilled workers.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) provides national
leadership for the TVET system by implementing competency-based curriculum standards,
training regulations, and assessment and certification processes to ensure a high-quality TVET
delivery throughout the country.
There is increasing emphasis in some countries, particularly in Australia and New Zealand, on
training of a multi-skilled work force; providing the job experience required for upgrading of
skills; creating mechanisms for the recognition of existing qualifications and credit transfer;
the introduction of competency-based training; and the promotion of retraining.
In certain other countries such as the Republic of Korea and Singapore, training content is
increasingly selected not only for its relevance to specific jobs but also for job dusters, as well
as for the transfer to jobs from related areas in business and industry.
References:
Budhrani, K. S. (2018, March). Developing a Skilled Workforce Through Technical and
Vocational Education and Training in the Philippines. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324888548_Developing_a_Skilled_Workforce_Throug
h_Technical_and_Vocational_Education_and_Training_in_the_Philippines?fbclid=IwAR3nQi1p
PpouV183k09k5zSJNJqZYHt55z8UFr2RNZHt49ZmYvBRCM3ydZk
Cadz, M. (2014, August 13). Trends, Issues, Challenges and Concerns of Philippine Education In
the Third Millennium. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/mikecadz/trends-
37944663?fbclid=IwAR0yfbQ3IDWZ5iLEz6DtLOHgMVVM4WGf8kvxYP48dYs40SA_UE2b
BgWDnhU
International Vocational Education and Training Association. (2019). IVETA. Retrieved From
http://www.iveta.org/?fbclid=IwAR3XOBli81qQ_D9dcsCmtxmZhqvsAr6CDFlCRHxsrAdhIG-
nzjJZI8BeVKc
Nucum, K. (2018, March 23). Tech-Voc 101: An Essential Guide to Technical-Vocational
Education in the Philippines [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://blog.edukasyon.ph/senior-
high/tech-voc-101-an-essential-guide-to-technical-vocational-education-in-the-
philippines/?fbclid=IwAR0PnmT8DdhfVb8Y1naHpGLPiHgpxudhC2pPXeXSVYV6nJDl_4Uq
AcjApvU
Qureshi, M. A. (n.d). Current Trends and Issues in Technical and Vocational Education in Asia
and the Pacific. Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/MO3/Downloads/ED400419.pdf
Vocational and Technical Education. (2019). Retrieved from
https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/2533/Vocational-Technical-Education-CURRENT-
TRENDS.html?fbclid=IwAR2etWKBa9QjsY3PaTRc_omTZnnOyYc3fAYoANn_7UhPuPbLV
V1SOhJNlXs
