TESDA chief urges lifelong learning to address job-skills mismatch

Yahya Ibrahim Yusop

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) called on Filipino students to embrace lifelong learning amid growing concerns over job and skill mismatches in the country.

Speaking at the post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) briefing on July 30, TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez stressed the need for continuous upskilling as industries rapidly evolve.

“Wala pong katapusan ang upskilling, dahil pabago-bago po ang larangan ng trabaho at dumadami at lumalawak ang mga klase ng skills na kailangan nating pagsanayan,” said Benitez.

To address this, TESDA has integrated technical-vocational education and training (TVET) into the senior high school curriculum, aiming to equip learners with nationally recognized certifications that improve employability.

According to TESDA, senior high school students undergo assessments that may qualify them for National Certificate (NC) II or III, credentials that align with industry standards.

In 2024 alone, around 175,000 students earned their certifications, thereby bolstering their employment prospects, TESDA stated.

“Malaking bagay po para sa senior high school na sa ngayon. According to the surveys of industry and business, four out of five companies are willing to hire senior high school students kung mayroon ho silang certification ng kanilang skills,” Benitez added.

Beyond secondary education, TESDA also pressed the government to invest in continuous upskilling and reskilling programs to resolve persistent labor market mismatches.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his 4th SONA delivered on July 28, pledged nearly Php 60 billion to support free technical-vocational and public college education.

TESDA emphasized that sustained funding and policy support are crucial to preparing the Filipino workforce for the demands of an increasingly skills-based economy.