THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority has partnered with a construction group in Cebu to help address unemployment and job-skills mismatch in the province.

TESDA chief Isidro Lapeña and Cebu Contractors Association Inc. President Francis Gerard Cañedo signed a memorandum of agreement for the establishment of an industry board in Central Visayas.

Under the agreement, TESDA shall facilitate the development of Training Regulations, Curricula, Assessment Tools, Expansion of Assessment and Certification Infrastructure and Technical and Vocational Education and Training Program Registration engaging the expertise of the construction industries.

The agency will also develop incentives and guidelines to encourage wider participation of the industry in the implementation of enterprise-based programs.

The CCA, meanwhile, shall provide the labor market information to aid TESDA in its policy and program decisions. It shall also lead and provide experts in analyzing forecasting skills needed for skill development and conduct capability building interventions for trainers and assessors.

Lapeña said that the partnership will bring opportunities as the industry board will serve as the channel in the implementation of projects, programs, and activities for TVET scholars.

“We will tap the experts in the construction industries in the development and regular review of our training programs to ensure that what we teach in TESDA is at par with international standards,” he said.

Lapeña explained that establishing an industry board in every region will encourage participation of partners from the private sector in improving various aspects of TVET.

“This is our way of ensuring that our actions are harmonized with end-users — that the skills we provide are responsive to the needs and requirements of the industries,” he said.