THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority has partnered with the China-Philippines Silk Road Institute Foundation and various Chinese technical vocational institutions to help ensure that the Philippines’ tech-voc sector remains at par with international standards.

The agreement was formalized last October 29 in Zhejiang, China during TESDA’s weeklong benchmarking activity in the country, and centers around elevating skills development, promoting competency standardization, and facilitating international educational exchange programs.

This partnership also aims to establish robust mutual cooperation in developing and updating competency standards, expanding international internships, and conducting targeted skills training across various high-demand sectors.

These sectors include construction, information and communication technology, agriculture, healthcare, hospitality, renewable energy, and electric vehicles.

TESDA Deputy Director General for TESD Operations, Vidal Villanueva III, head of the Philippine delegation, highlighted the importance of partnering with other countries and tech-voc institutions in elevating the country’s tech-voc sector.

“This partnership reinforces TESDA’s dedication to fostering global partnerships that bring new learning opportunities and updated competency standards to Filipinos,” Villanueva said.

“This collaboration is expected to yield significant advancements in skills training and facilitate meaningful exchange programs for trainers and students alike,” the TESDA official added.

This two-year partnership underscores TESDA’s commitment to repositioning Philippine TVET for global competitiveness while enhancing the employability and skills of Filipino workers to meet the demands of the modern workforce.

The TESDA delegation also visited various Chinese institutions to learn their best practices in various sectors as well as discuss standards development. These included: Quanzhou Vocational and Technical University; Zhejiang Agricultural Business College; Zhejiang Economic & Trade Polytechnic; the Zhejiang College of Construction; and, Tourism College of Zhejiang.