Are Kalinga's workers training for the wrong jobs? TESDA identifies 10 programs with the biggest skills gap

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Are Kalinga's workers acquiring the skills that employers actually need?

Latest data from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) - Kalinga suggest there is a growing mismatch between the province's training programs and industry demand, with agriculture and food-related courses emerging as the areas with the biggest skills shortages.

During the Kapehan meeting on July 6, 2026, TESDA-Kalinga Provincial Director Atty. Clifford E. Pascual presented the agency's latest labor market mapping, identifying the 10 training programs with the highest skills supply gap in the province.

Leading the list was Organic Agriculture Production with an 8.2-percent skills gap, followed by Agricultural Crops Production at 5.1 percent and Food Production (Bread and Pastry) at 4.0 percent.

Completing the top 10 were Masonry NC II (3.1 percent), Production of High-Quality Inputs (2.9 percent), Sugar Cane Processing (2.5 percent), Food Processing NC II (1.9 percent), and three programs tied at 1.3 percent each: Heavy Equipment Operation, Content Creation (Social Media), and Agroentrepreneurship NC II.

“None of these top 10 gap programs is Kalinga’s current number one enrollment programs: a direct mismatched between what is taught and what is needed,” Atty. Pascual stated.

Training must match industry needs

Pascual explained that the identified gaps represent occupations where industry demand exceeds the number of workers being trained, indicating that many employers may struggle to find qualified workers despite the availability of technical-vocational programs.

He noted that agriculture and food-related programs dominate the list, highlighting the continuing importance of farming, food production, and food processing to Kalinga's economy.

He added that the inclusion of Masonry NC II and Heavy Equipment Operation reflects sustained demand from the construction industry, while the presence of Content Creation (Social Media) demonstrates the growing need for digital and creative skills in today's economy.

The TESDA report further emphasized that none of the province's top 10 skills-gap programs is currently among Kalinga's most enrolled training courses, pointing to a significant mismatch between the skills learners are pursuing and those most needed by employers.

According to TESDA-Kalinga, the findings underscore the importance of aligning technical-vocational education with actual labor market demand. By encouraging more trainees to enroll in high-demand programs, the province can help address workforce shortages, improve employment opportunities, and better support the needs of key industries such as agriculture, food processing, construction, and the digital economy.