By Rene V. Carbayas
ISABELA CITY, Basilan – The COMTECH Institute in Basilan awarded certificates of training to 22 young
beneficiaries of the Cash for Training Program (C4TP), jointly undertaken by
the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the social
welfare department.
In a commencement exercise held last
June 11 at COMTECH Institute in Isabela City, the graduates have completed
their culinary training on bread and pastry production and commercial cooking.
Both courses qualify them for a National Certification II (NCII) upon passing
the assessment made by TESDA.
Elinor Antonio, TESDA specialist for
Isabela City said the C4TP is in support of the government’s thrust to provide
a sustainable intervention to improve the plight and condition of the youth and
empower them through skills training and assistance towards gainful employment
and entrepreneurial activities.
She added that the objective of the
program is to train the youths for possible employment in targeted communities
and provide them the basic requirements that will enable them to practice their
trade.
Jasi Kim G. Ramillano, one of the
trainees thanked the implementers of the program for the opportunity given them
to enhance young peoples’ skills, including personality development.
“Through this scholarship, we hope
to change for the better,” he said, as he challenged fellow scholars not to
waste the opportunity given them.
Emma B. Gurrea, Isabela City Social
Welfare and Development Officer told graduates to venture on possible venues
where they can use the newly acquired skills whether home-based or explore a
business-like venture by approaching organizations or agencies in public or
private to acquire starting capital for income generating projects.
Meanwhile, Engr. Wesley D. Tan of
DOLE-Isabela City hopes that graduates will be able to find doors of
opportunities with the newly acquired knowledge and skills. He said that right
and proper attitude for work is one important value that young workers must put
to heart in order to be successful in one’s chosen career.
The C4TP project provides youth with
skills training opportunities and job facilitation or entrepreneurship support
so they can earn and participate in community building.
The program has two independent
components, namely: (a) Training for wage-employment (Trabaho) – the
program shall be organized and conducted in a TESDA-registered training
provider. After graduation, jobs-bridging activities shall be pursued to
facilitate their entry to jobs, and (b) Training for self-employment (Hanapbuhay)
– the program may be conducted on-site, school-supervised or thru partner NGOs.
The 22 graduates were under the
training for self-employment program for about two months. Cash allowances were
also provided at the duration of the training.
The cash will be in a form of
training voucher, toolkits (for Training for Self-employment), assessment fee
and allowance in the total amount of P20,000.00 per beneficiary,
The training is provided by TESDA and its authorized
training providers, which are designed to match specifically, indicated demand
for wage and self-employment. Local Government Units (LGUs), training providers
and NGOs are also expected to partner in nurturing the economic activities that
the graduates shall pursue. (PIA9)