460 Gensan residents get Tesda scholarships

GENERAL SANTOS City– The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has enlisted some 460 scholars from various parts of the city for its flagship technical-vocational (tech-voc) training scholarship program.

Richard Amparo, acting head of TesdaSarangani-General Santos provincial office, said the scholarship slots comprise the city’s allotment for this year under the agency’s Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP).

He said the Tesda central office has released some P2.8 million for the TWSP scholarship grants.

The scholarships are part of the commitments given to the city by their office during the visit to the area last March of  Tesda Director General Sec. Joel Villanueva.

“These training scholarship are for various tech-voc courses such as housekeeping, cookery, welding, automotive, tourism, hotel and restaurant as well as animation,” Amparo said.

The official said they already released the initial grants to the qualified beneficiaries who were recommended by the city government.

The city’s Alay saKabataang General LahatngAlaga at Talino o AKLAT office, which handles the local government’s education initiatives, facilitated the screening and selection of the scholarship grantees.

Under the TWSP, Amparo said, the scholars may include out-of-school youths, students and employed individuals who want to upgrade their skills.

He said the program is directed towards “filling up the skills gaps and job requirements of priority industries and sectors with high employment demand.”

For this city and Sarangani Province, he said they are focused on addressing the critical skills shortages in priority sectors such as agriculture, fishery, tourism, services and construction.

Amparo said they have forged partnerships with local tech-voc institutions, training centers and local companies or industry players to jointly address the skills shortages. (pna)