TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Secretary Jose Francisco ‘Kiko’ Benitez said Friday that local job opportunities for technical-vocational graduates remain less competitive in pay, pushing many certified workers to seek employment abroad.
Pressed on whether the steady outflow of Tesda graduates means few opportunities and low pay in the Philippines, Benitez told The Manila Times at a press briefing during the inauguration of the New Tesda Media Lounge, “The answer is yes.”
He said more than half of those taking technical and vocational education and training certification, and courses, are already college graduates who still cannot find jobs.
He added that many of them take Tesda courses with the intention of working overseas.
Benitez said this has made it difficult to address turnover rates in Philippine industries because the more workers Tesda trains, the more become qualified to leave for jobs abroad.
He said the shortages being felt locally are not due to weak training, but to the fact that Filipino workers are in demand overseas.
“The truth is, our training is good. Because our training is good and because of the excellence of the Filipino brand, they are sought after abroad, and often the pay is more than what is offered for the same job here locally,” he added.
Benitez said this shows that local job opportunities are not as well-paying, although he noted that some workers still choose to stay because their families are in the Philippines.
Benitez said the situation also reflects the country’s large underemployment problem.
He said the gig economy is an emerging sector that Tesda may also need to address through upskilling and reskilling efforts.
