TESDA to Enhance Sailors Skills

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has unveiled a training and assessment program that would link major players in the maritime industry and create a pool of trainers and assessors to upgrade their capabilities and increase job opportunity.

According to TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva, the agency is reaching new heights with a comprehensive program for the country’s seafarers. The Philippines is the world’s largest source of seafarers.

“We want to enhance our training and assessment program to make them more equipped and skilled as they set sail all over the globe,” Villanueva said. “Being ambassadors of excellence, dedication and professionalism in the maritime industry and one of the pillars in keeping afloat the economy, Filipino seafarers deserve all the help that government can give,” he said.

Earlier, President Aquino declared June 25 of every year as “Day of the Filipino Seafarer” in recognition of the seafarers’ contribution to the country. In Proclamation No. 183, the President directed the Secretary of the Department of

Transportation and Communications (DoTC) to lead the commemoration of the special day for the Filipino sailors. Other relevant maritime agencies were also asked to support the observance of the important event.

Villanueva noted that despite the growing demand for seamen worldwide, “there is shortage of qualified Filipino marine officers because of lack of opportunity for their training and upgrading of their existing qualifications.”

Early this year, TESDA invited major players of the maritime industry in a consultation meeting to know their concerns and to be able to plan and provide necessary policies to beef up the industry, specifically concerning the quality of the labor force.

“We have also created a technical working group (TWG) in maritime that set its sights on the possibility of creating a single pool of assessors and trainers to offer seafarers a one-stop shop where they can train, re-train or upgrade their skills, and then later on undergo assessment and certification to raise their value in the job market,” Villanueva said.

The TESDA chief said the TWG will also review the training regulations (TR) in Watchkeeping Deck, Watchkeeping Engine, AB Deck, AB Engine, and Electro Technical Rating to ensure it complies with the International yardstick

set under the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

Villanueva said currently, there are some 71 training institutions nationwide offering 142 programs for deck and engine ratings. “All these training institutions are authorized by TESDA to offer maritime education programs based on compliance with the minimum standards set by the provision of the STWC Convention,” he added.

(source: Manila Bulletin)

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