ANOTHER 45 skilled workers from the province recently graduated through the Cherwai Health Care (CHC).

This is in partnership with the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (Tesda), Office of the Congressman and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tabuk.

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According to Ms. Claribel Camarao, TVET Trainer/Assessor from CHC, out of the 45 graduates, 30 enjoyed free training through the Pangulong Gloria Scholarship (PGS) of Tesda, five were sponsored by the Office of the Congressman while seven are scholars of Tabuk City government.

Camarao said this is the fourth batch of PGS graduates from their school, which she said is grateful for the support of Tesda and LGUs with the provision of free training grants being implemented by the CHC.

She disclosed that the new graduates are all National Certificate Level II (NC II) qualifiers after passing the TVET Assessment Test conducted before the commencement exercise.

During the event, CHC Chairman of the Board, Lawyer William Claver advised the graduates to use what they have learned not only to uplift their economic status but also for the good of their fellowmen. He said with a new skill, every graduate is now given a choice to use what he has learned and it depends on a person on how he is going to use said acquired knowledge.

Kalinga Governor Floydelia Diasen in her message has also encouraged the graduates "not to rest on their laurels but instead continue to acquire more skills" saying that the "graduation is just a one big step towards success through the help of Cherwai."

She stressed the need to continue enhancing their knowledge and to learn other skills to be prepared for the competition in search for better employment especially abroad.

Sharing her own experience, she said before she went to Canada to work as a nurse, she trained on basic sewing and beauty care which helped her save and earned additional income during her stay abroad.

She however appealed that when they find success, Filipino workers should also look back to help their kababayans and "to work first for the country before spreading their wings to other places abroad."

Meanwhile, Kalinga Congressman Manuel S. Agyao commended Tesda and private institutions offering technical vocational courses for promoting techvoc and skills training in the province.

"The increasing demand for technical and vocational skills in most developing countries today, signify the creation of a highly competitive labor market that can generate employment opportunities for our people, both here and abroad," he said.

With this developments and opportunities, the congressman urged those seeking employment to avail of said government programs.

"Technical education is open to anyone who wants to learn useful skills and it does not discriminate on the basis of age and economic status," he said stressing that compared to a college course, techvoc is essentially less expensive but equally promising since "both deliver opportunities that would enable anyone to gain decent employment."

Though private Tech Voc providers, Tesda through the directives of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had been promoting the development of the Filipino workforce through the provision of technical skills training for Filipinos to cope with the international job market demands. (ggdumallig/PIA Kalinga)