‘Haanen nga para lang ti out-of-school youth ti TVET. TESDA 2024 data shows that 43% or 143 of the clients are college graduates, workers’ - ROMO Executive Director Bungallon on upskilling

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Challenging the long-standing perception that the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is only for out-of-school youth or those who did not finish formal education, Regional Operations Management Office Executive Director David Bugallon emphasized that the agency has evolved into a key driver of workforce development in today’s technology-driven economy.

Speaking during the inauguration of the new TESDA–Kalinga gymnasium on April 14 in Bulanao, Bugallon said Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was often viewed in the past as being limited to out-of-school youth or basic livelihood skills, but is now just as vital as higher education.

“Daytoy TVET, actually ti kita ti tao ditoy idi ket nababa—para lang ti out-of-school youth, para livelihood lang, pero that is no more true. Today is the era of TVET—more critical than higher education. Apay? Nu kuna tayo nga TVET, it is for workforce development,” he said.

Bugallon stressed that TESDA is no longer limited to basic skills training, noting that it now plays a crucial role in equipping both jobseekers and working professionals with competencies needed in an increasingly technology-driven labor market.

He added that 2024 data shows that 43% of TESDA or TVET graduates are college degree holders, indicating that many trainees already have higher education, while others are employed individuals upgrading their skills.

“Iti 2024 data, ti graduates ti TESDA or TVET ket 43%—kayat na sawen ket dagiti adu ket college graduates. Dagitoy workers metlang—isu dagiti ag-upgrade ti skills da. Nu makita yo, haanen nga pang out-of-school youth laeng ti TVET, especially today. Kas kunak, now is the era of TVET. Apay? Ti trabaho tattan ket lalaokan ti technology—sooner or later, drone technology na,” he said.

Bugallon also clarified that TESDA is not meant to compete with private technical-vocational institutions but to help develop trainers for local government units and promote higher-level technological skills and knowledge.

With the growing demand for a more skilled and adaptable workforce, and with the inauguration of the new gymnasium, TESDA–Kalinga is now better positioned to serve as a pathway for both students and workers seeking to improve their technical skills for future opportunities.