THE Plan International has praised the Hyundai Steel Korea and the Community Chest of Korea, along with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and the local government for the new Technical Education Center in Catarman, Northern Samar.
“On this training center, young people from marginalized communities, regardless of gender and physical limitations, can enroll in the most employable skills-based courses,” said Ryan Lander, Plan International Philippines’ deputy country director for program.
The Hyundai Steel Technical Education Center was built to improve access to livelihood and employment opportunities, particularly among the out-of-school youths in the province.
Training courses will include masonry, carpentry, tile setting, and shielded metal arc welding.
The center is also forging partnerships with government institutions and private companies “to develop clustered skills training courses on hospitality and construction, with sound apprenticeship programs and assistance on job placements after graduation.”
The center, which was turned over on April 11, is comprised of four-classroom facility and equipment meant for technical-vocational studies for the young people in the area.
Tesda Regional Director Cleta Omega and Provincial Director Zosimo de Asis, along with local officials, thanked the Korean automobile company for the assistance, which, according to them, leads to employment creation in the province.
According to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), Northern Samar ranks as the third poorest province in the country.
The youth’s unemployment is particularly attributed to the demands of the market which do not yield a specific match to their skills, said Plan International Philippines.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), about 50 percent of the country’s population is composed of individuals below the age of 21, 50.3 percent of which is male and 49.7 percent is female.
This great share of young people already comprised 52 percent of unemployed Filipinos, the PSA added.