SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian stressed anew the need to strengthen the enterprise-based program in the country.

Compared with many European nations, Gatchalian noted that the apprenticeship program in the country is weak.

During the deliberations on the 2022 proposed budget, the senator urged the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to ponder on strategies to increase the enterprise-based program.

“I truly believe that apprenticeship is a good program for the country, considering that underemployment is quite high, and job-mismatch is quite high. This is a way for new graduates who wanted to work right away, to land a job right away,” Gatchalian said.

The senator repeatedly called on TESDA to address the persistent high rates of jobs-skills mismatch among Technical-Vocational Education and Training graduates.

The lawmaker insisted that the TESDA should ramp up enterprise-based training.

“Enterprise-based training, for me, is an exciting method because it’s a way for enterprises and for businesses to train based on their needs, and a person can work in their factories or their businesses immediately after being trained,” Gatchalian said.