Gatchalian urges TESDA: address persistent jobs-skills mismatch among tech-voc graduates

While the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority's (TESDA) annual budget has increased over the past years, Senator Win Gatchalian says the agency should address the persistent high rates of jobs-skills mismatch among Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET or tech-voc) graduates.

Using TESDA's Individual Graduate Tracer Surveys for the years 2013, 2014, and 2017, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimates that occupational mismatch rates hover around 60% to 80% in the years mentioned. In 2017, 70% of respondents had jobs which were not the occupational expectations of their training in school.

Assessing occupational group mismatch is one of the matching techniques that compares the expected and actual post-training occupation of the TVET graduate. For example, individuals who completed their Shielded Metal Arc Welding National Certificate Level II (NC II) are expected to be employed as welders. If these same individuals are hired as restaurant staff, they are experiencing training-job mismatch.

Over the past six years, TESDA's budget grew by about 19.71% on average. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, TESDA's proposed budget is P14.7 billion, which is P94.8 million or 0.65% higher compared to the 2021 budget.

"This is quite concerning considering that the budget of TESDA has skyrocketed over the last 10 years. At this time, TESDA is receiving P14 billion more or less, on average, pero may mga report pa rin tayong nakukuha na 70-80% ng mga graduates ng TESDA ay nakakuha ng trabaho na hindi angkop sa kanilang naging pagsasanay o training," Gatchalian said during a Senate panel hearing on TESDA's proposed 2022 budget.

The ADB has also flagged that from 2014-2020, enrollment in enterprise-based tech-voc training (EBT) programs, which are conducted within companies, account for only 4% of total enrollment. While some tasks and skills may become redundant and irrelevant because of rapid technological change and the industry 4.0, EBT offers an edge because it is more aligned with rapidly evolving workplace and workshop needs, the ADB noted.

"Enterprise-based training, for me, is an exciting method because it's a way for enterprises and for businesses to train based on their needs, and a person can work in their factories or their businesses immediately after being trained. The enterprise-based method, in simple terms, is apprenticeship, and I hope that we can increase this," Gatchalian said.

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Gatchalian: TESDA dapat tugunan ang jobs-skills mismatch sa mga tech-voc graduates

Bagama't tumaas nitong mga nakaraang taon ang pondong nakalaan sa Technical Education and Skills Development Authority o TESDA, hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang ahensya na tugunan ang mataas na antas ng jobs-skills mismatch sa mga nagtapos ng Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET o tech-voc).

Ayon kasi sa pagsusuri ng Asian Development Bank (ADB) sa Individual Graduate Tracer Surveys ng TESDA para sa mga taong 2013, 2014, at 2017, umaabot sa 60% hanggang 80% ang occupational mismatch sa mga TVET graduates. Noong 2017, 70% ng mga kalahok sa naturang survey ang may mga trabahong hindi tugma sa programang kanilang tinapos.

Ang pagsusuri sa occupational group mismatch ay isa sa mga paraan upang ihambing ang aktwal na trabaho ng isang TVET graduate sa programang kanyang tinapos. Halimbawa, inaasahang magiging mga welder ang mga nagtapos ng Shielded Metal Arc Welding National Certificate Level II (NC II). Ngunit kung sila ay nagtatrabaho bilang restaurant staff, sila ay nakakaranas ng training-job mismatch.

Sa nagdaang anim na taon, umabot sa 19.71% ang average na itinaas ng pondo ng TESDA. Para sa 2022, halos labinlimang (14.7) bilyong piso ang panukalang budget ng ahensya, mas mataas ng 0.65% o siyamnapu't apat (94) na milyong piso kung ihahambing sa pondo nitong 2021.

"Nakakabahala ang jobs-skills mismatch lalo na't tumaas ang budget ng TESDA sa nagdaang sampung taon. Sa panahong ito, tinatayang labing-apat na bilyong piso ang natatanggap ng TESDA pero may mga ulat pa rin tayong nakukuha na 70-80% ng mga graduates ng TESDA ay nakakuha ng trabaho na hindi angkop sa kanilang naging pagsasanay o training," ani Gatchalian.

Pinuna rin ng ADB na mula 2014 hanggang 2020, ang enrollment sa mga enterprise-based tech-voc training (EBT) programs na isinasagawa sa mga kumpanya ay umabot lamang sa 4%. Dahil sa mga pagbabagong dulot ng teknolohiya at Industry 4.0, ipinaliwanag ng ADB na mahalaga ang inaasahang magiging papel ng EBT dahil umaakma ito sa mga workplace at workshop needs o pangangailangan ng mga kumpanya.

"Malaki ang potensyal ng enterprise-based training para sa akin dahil isang paraan ito para sa mga negosyo upang magbigay ng training ayon sa kanilang mga pangangailangan at magbigay ng trabaho matapos ang training. Sa madaling salita, ang enterprise-based method ay apprenticeship at umaasa akong mapapalawig natin ito," pahayag ni Gatchalian.

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