DOLE-TESDA partners to train students under SPES in Tabuk City

Students under the Special Program for the Employment of Students or SPES are not only hired during summer but are given the privilege to undergo training during the school year in Tabuk City.

According to Gregg Bagtang, Registrar of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Provincial Training Center, students get trained this regular semester through the joint sponsorship of the Department of Labor and Employment and TESDA. They are trained for employment under the scheme in which DOLE provides the 40% training allowance and TESDA to shoulder the training cost and assessment fee.

This semester, 26 slots were provided on preferred courses particularly on masonry and carpentry which are the choices of the applicants.

"The 26 slots were distributed to four municipalities and this city. 10 will be trained on masonry and 16 on carpentry," Bagtang said.

On masonry, five slots were given each to Tabuk and Pasil for a duration of 34 training days while fpr carpentry. six slots each for Tanudan and Tinglayan and four for Lubuagan for 21 training days.

Avelina Manganip,DOLE Provincial Officer, said the joint scholarship program was designed to equip students the proper skills for their employment. She explained that it was found out that students employed under the regular SPES program lack skills.

She said employers recommended that students to be hired should possess the necessary skills so that they can be productive when employed in the future not only under SPES but their eventual employment in private companies and the public sector. - PIA — ARA