CONTRACTORS and business leaders in Cebu, in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), are launching mobile training centers to bring technical education directly to underserved communities, aiming to bridge a persistent labor mismatch in the Philippine construction industry.
The initiative, officially unveiled during “PhilConstruct Visayas 2025,” will deploy fully equipped modular facilities to rural areas for up to a month at a time. These centers will offer training in high-demand trades such as masonry, plumbing, painting, welding and electrical installation, supported by certified trainers and Tesda-aligned curricula.
“We want to reach far-flung municipalities where employment opportunities in construction are out of reach simply because training isn’t accessible,” said Engineer Rizalito Casinilio, chairman of CEO Forum Event at the PhilConstruct Visayas 2025. “Instead of asking young people to travel to Cebu City and bear the costs, we will bring the training to them.”
Bernard Vonn Sia, an engineer and chairman of PhilConstruct Visayas 2025, highlighted the urgent need for the program, citing a “deep imbalance in the labor market” where thousands of unemployed youth exist alongside a growing shortage of skilled labor.
“Firms are actively hiring, but they can’t find workers with the right qualifications,” Sia explained.
The mobile centers are expected to be deployed across several towns by late 2025, targeting areas with high youth unemployment and limited access to vocational training. Stakeholders emphasize the project’s sustainability due to the strong and immediate demand from employers.
“Many contractors are ready to hire, but hesitant to train workers who may not meet their standards,” Sia noted. He underscored the crucial role of the partnership with Tesda and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which boasts over 150 members in the Cebu Contractors Association and nearly 1,000 firms under the chamber, to create a reliable employment pathway for trainees.
The collaboration between government and private sectors reflects a growing recognition of the need for localized, targeted and market-responsive skills development, particularly in a construction sector poised for growth amid renewed infrastructure spending.
Officials believe the mobile training centers will serve as both a workforce solution and a catalyst for inclusive economic development in provinces that have lagged in the country’s industrial push.
“This is about access and opportunity,” Casinilio added. “If a barangay captain can gather 50 young people in Balamban who are ready to be trained, then we’ll bring the classroom to them.”
The success of this initiative could provide a model for nationwide replication as the Philippine construction sector prepares for expansion. / KOC