THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority will expand the number of foreign language courses it offers through its National Language Skills Center.

The additional language classes, which include Arabic, Mandarin, Korean, Italian, and French, are designed to increase the competitiveness of Filipino workers, according to the government agency.

“As we continue to respond to the demands of our workers, we shall soon be offering various language courses in partnership with foreign embassies and other interested international organizations,” TESDA Officer-in-Charge Deputy Director General Rosanna Urdaneta said.

Spanish Language for Different Vocations, Japanese Language and Culture Level II, and English Proficiency for Customer Service Workers are all currently available through the NLSC.

In TESDA’s 2021 report, NLSC graduated 1,148 students, with 508 completing English Proficiency for Customer Service Workers, 450 students completed Japanese Language and Culture, and 190 students completed Spanish Language for Different Vocations.

The language programs benefited BPO employees, Filipinos working abroad, and some members of the country’s uniformed military and police force, TESDA said.