TO ADAPT to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority will create a National Industry Board for Analytics and Artificial Intelligence with the help of the Analytics Association of the Philippines.

TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña and AAP President Colin Christie signed a memorandum of agreement on February 8 on the implementation of the project. Through the partnership, Lapeña said TESDA shall soon have data science, data analytics and artificial intelligence as TVET courses.

Lapeña said that there is a growing demand for workers in the analytics and artificial intelligence sector.

“I am confident that this collaboration with AAP shall also help to take the Information Technology Program offerings of TESDA to the next level,” the TESDA chief said.

“Together, we look forward to provide Filipinos with the opportunity to retool, reskill, and upskill themselves with the trainings that are relevant and appropriate for today’s technology-driven workplaces,” he added.

Christie expressed confidence that with the partnership, the Philippines can be a data-driven, globally competitive country in the field of Analytics and Artificial Intelligence.

“As we establish the National Industry Board for Analytics and AI, we shall work together on workforce development towards the attainment of a demand-driven and area-based TVET for the sector,” Christie said.

Under the agreement, TESDA and the AAP will collaborate to provide area-based and demand-driven technical vocational education and training in analytics and artificial intelligence in the Philippines.

TESDA will capacitate the Industry Board to undertake its roles in the governance of TVET. It will provide AAP access to needed resources such as scholarship grants and facilities in the development of industry workers.

Meanwhile, AAP will provide TESDA the necessary labor market information which will be used in the formulation of policies and program decisions.