Employability of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

Graduates and Absorptive Capacity of Local Employers

in the Province of Agusan del Norte

A
Research Proposal
Presented to Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Regional Office, Butuan city

Prepared by:

Vergel L. Itim
Christine D. Vallente
Introduction

Work is a major feature in most people’s lives. Not only does it provide them with
the means of survival in terms of food, clothing and shelter, but also the type of work
undertaken by individuals and groups has a major impact upon their self-identity, social
status and standard of living. One of the important distinctions that traditionally occurs in
any consideration of work, and education for the world of work, is between work that
has a largely intellectual component, and that which is highly practical in nature and
requires the individual concerned to work ‘more with their hands than their head. Thus,
skills are an important element for employment. Acquiring the right skills needed by the
labor market will ensure the workers to engage into any productive economic activity.
(unevoc.unesco.org)

In the progress of the global world. Competition in economic has become more
intense it drives the demand for expertise and high quality developed vocational
education and skilled worker. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or
TESDA with the virtue of the Republic Act 7796 creates Technical – Vocational
Education and Training or TVET to support or provide the demand of the global market.
Moreover, with the creation of Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) gives
opportunities for institutions provider to pursue their goals and objectives in training the
youth for manpower development of their skills. Technical and Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) is viewed as a tool for productivity enhancement and poverty reduction
in the province

Technical – Vocational Education and Training is the education or training

process where it involves, in addition to general education, the study of technologies
and related sciences and acquisition of practical skills relating to occupations in various
sectors of economic life and social life, comprises formal (organized programs as part of
the school system) and non-formal (organized classes outside the school system)
approaches." (UNESCO). In addition, TVET provides education and training
opportunities to prepare students and other clients for employment. It also addresses
the skills training requirements of those who are already in the labor market and would
need to upgrade or develop new competencies to enhance employability and improve
productivity.

The potential clientele of TVET includes primarily the high school graduates,
secondary school leavers, college undergraduates and graduates who want to acquire
competencies in different occupational fields. Other potential clientele of TVET are the
unemployed persons who are actively looking for work. These include the displaced
workers who lost their jobs because of closure of establishments, retrenchment or
laying-off of workers due to economic and other related reasons. Returning overseas
Filipino workers who decide to discontinue working abroad are also clients of TVET as
well as those currently employed who want to upgrade their skills or acquire new skills.

There are three major modes delivering the training under the TVET: (a)
institution-based (school-based and center-based); (b) enterprise-based; and (c)
community-based. Institution based programs refer to the direct delivery or provision of
TVET programs by public and private providers, including TESDA administered schools
and centers. Enterprise based programs are TVET programs implemented within
company or firms such as the Apprenticeship, Dual Training System (DTS), and Learner
Ship Programs. Community based programs are TVET programs conducted in
communities, mostly in partnership with local government units (LGUs) and
nongovernment organizations (NGOs). These programs are usually based on local skill
requirements and resources available in the area (TESDA, 2016; Orbeta and Esguerra,
2016).

The training and development of the Filipino workforce for skilled employment is
provided mostly by the private TVET institutions. There are 4,510 TVET providers in the
country today, 62% (2,786) of which are private and 38% (1,714) are public. The public
TVET providers include the 121 TESDA Technology Institutes composed of 57 schools,
15 Regional Training Centers, 45 Provincial Training Centers and 4 Specialized Training
Centers. Other public TVET providers include State Universities and Colleges (SUCs)
and local colleges offering non-degree programs; DepEd supervised schools, LGUs,
and other government agencies providing skills training programs
 For the qualification in the global market, TESDA pursues the assessment and
certification of the competencies of the middle-level skilled workers through Philippine
TVET Competency Assessment and Certification System (PTCACS). The assessment
process seeks to determine whether the graduate or worker can perform to the
standards expected in the workplace based on the defined competency standards.
Certification is provided to those who meets the competency standards. This ensures
the productivity, quality and global competitiveness of the middle-level workers. TESDA
has a Registry of Certified Workers which provides information on the pool of certified
workers for certain occupations nationwide. TESDA also has accredited assessment
centers as well as the competency assessors who conduct competency assessment
process for persons applying for certification. As to issuance of certificates, unlike in
other countries, TESDA issues national certificates to persons who have attained
competence in all units of competency comprising a national qualification. The
qualifications are aligned with specific skills levels as defined in the National
Qualification Framework. The present NQF defines four (4) certificate levels for TVET—
National Certificate Levels I, II, III and IV.

According to Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)

research on A Cost Study on Dual Training System in the Philippines (2016) it show
that, on the average, the TVET sector generates an annual enrolment of 1.8 million
students from 2011 to 2015. In 2015, enrolment reached to about 2.28 million.
Graduates in the same year reached about 2.1 million and from these, around 1.4
million graduates were assessed and some 1.3 million graduates were certified by
TESDA. TESDA also regularly reports the employment rate of TVET graduates, which
increases over the years, coming from 48.5 percent in 2005 to 65.4 percent in 2014.

On the situation of caraga region, the total certified TVET graduates in the
Caraga region are 5,209. But there are only 62.6 employment rate of the total graduates
of the region, out of 5,209, there 1,625 graduates not on labor force and 1328 are in the
labor forced but not employed and 2,226 are employed.

With certified TVET graduates, still unemployment rate rose sharply from 11.6%
to 12%, with the absence of economic growth and development, this pattern is feared to
a negative outcome relevant skills to be productive citizens of the country, improve high
school student’s performance in skills and academic competence, achievement tests,
accreditation and equivalency for certification programs and update the competency of
tech-teachers in delivery of basic and certifiable skills in different courses though skill
trainings, seminars and formal studies. What does this indicate? That there is a serious
disconnect between what schools teach and the demand of the jobs market. Students
are not acquiring the skills they need to fill up available jobs when they graduate.
Schools still offer, and students still enroll in, traditional courses without so much as
examining the demand of industries. (manilastandard.net)

Along with the problems above. The researcher aims to find out the situation of
the TVET graduates of the Caraga region in the smaller scope that focus on the
province of Agusan del Norte, the problems encountered by TVET provider institutions
in the province of agusan del norte in terms of governance, financial and record
management, and instructional facilities and curricular demands, the present status of
employability of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) , the absorptive
capacity of local employers to the graduates of technical vocational school in the
province, determining the condition of both private and public technical-vocational
institutions in the province and creating provincial profiles of technical-vocational
institution for development.

Objectives of the Study

This study aims to determine the problems confronting TVET institutions in

province of Agusan del Norte as well as the needs of the companies in the province as
recipients of the TVET institution graduates. The main goal of the study is to determine
the employability of graduates of technical vocational education and trainings and the
absorptive capacity of local employers in the province of Agusan del Norte during school
year 2017- 2018. Specifically, this sought to answer the following problems:

1. To ascertain the profile of the province of Agusan del Norte in terms of:
1.1. Industry manpower needs,
1.1.1 TVET provider and programs offered
 1.1.2 Admission Policies,
1.1.3 Students
1.1.3.1 Enrollment,
1.1.3.2 On the job training
1.1.3.3 Graduates
1.1.4 Faculty
1.1.5 Administrative and governance
1.1.6 Physical facilities
1.1.7 Linkages
2. To measure the extent of implementation of the technical vocational program of
TVET accredited schools/centers in the province of Agusan del Norte with
respect to the following as rated by the graduates?
2.1 Curriculum and Instructional Methodology
2.2 Laboratory Workshop/ Equipment and Facilities
2.3 Teacher Competence
3. To determine the significant difference in the level of implementation of technical-
vocational schools in the province when analyzed according to schools?
4. To measure the level of demonstrated course skills of the graduates in the
different programs as rated by their employers?
5. To determine the level of employability of graduates?
6. To determine the absorptive capacity of the local industries to absorb Tech-Voc
graduates?
7. To determine the significant difference in the level of employability of graduates
of technical- vocational schools in the province of Agusan del Norte when
analyzed according to school program?
8. To determine the significant relationship between the level of implementation of
Technical-Vocational education program and the level of employability of
graduates of Technical- Vocational schools in the province?
9. To determine the significant relationship of the demonstrated course skills and
level of employability?

Scope and Limitation

The study will involve mainly the graduates of Technical Vocational Education
and Training (TVET) accredited institutions within the province of Agusan del Norte that
covers academic year 2017 – 2018. The study will be conducted from August 2019 until
August 2020 which focuses on the employability and the absorptive capacity of the
employer of the province.

Basically, the study will use the researcher- constructed questionnaire on the
level of implementation of the different programs and interventions and on the
employability and the absorptive capacity of graduates. Eventually the gathered results
aim to provide information which greatly benefited the researcher, schools and to the
cooperating agency, TESDA.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study will use a descriptive- correlation research design. The design involves
the collection of data concerning the current status of TVET graduate academic year
2017-2018 from all of the TESDA accredited schools in the province of Agusan del
Norte and assessment of the employability as well as the absorptive capacity of the
local industry. Sought to discover the factors, the quality and employability of the
graduates and attempts to correlate the level of the employability rate of the graduates
in the absorptive capacity of local industry.

Research Locale

The study will cover all the TVET accredited public and private institutions and
training centers in the province of Agusan del Norte to wit; (1) Northern Mindanao
School of Fisheries, P-3 Brgy. Matabao, Buenavista, Agusan Del Norte; (2) Candelaria
Institute of Technology Of Cabadbaran, Inc. Funcion Street, Cabadbaran City; (3)
Provincial Training Center - Agusan Del Norte, Government Center, Barangay 9,
Cabadbaran City; (4) ACLC College of Butuan City, Inc., Hds, 999 J. C. Aquino Avenue,
Butuan City; (5) Butuan City Manpower Training Center, Tiniwisan, Butuan City; (6)
Butuan Doctors' Hospital and College, Inc, J. C. Aquino Avenue, Butuan City; (7) Center
for Healthcare Professions-Butuan, Inc., 3/f S & V Bldg., R. Calo Street, Butuan City; (8)
DPWH-EMD Training And Assessment Center, Tiniwisan, Butuan City; (9) Father Urios
Institute Of Technology of Ampayon, Inc. Ampayon, Butuan City; (10) LE' OPHIR
Learning School, Inc. Ochoa Avenue, Butuan City; (11) Northern Mindanao Colleges,
Inc, Atega St., Cabadbaran City; (12) Philippine Electronics And Communication
Institute of Technology, Inc., Imadejas Subdivision, Butuan City; (13) Reliance Training
Institute, Inc. Durano St., Diego Silang, Butuan City; (14) Saint Michael College of
Caraga, Inc., Atupan Street, Nasipit, Agusan Del Norte; (15) Caraga State University,
Ampayon, Butuan City; (16) Mana Millenium Technical School (MMTS), 4/f, Balibrea
Building, Pili Drive, Butuan City; (17) Ace Rx Learning Specialist, Inc., P-1, Bonbon,
Butuan City; (18) Butuan City Colleges, Inc., Montilla Boulevard, Butuan City and the
graduates’ companies/agencies.

The Respondents/Sampling

The respondents of the study will be grouped into two according to classification:
public and private institution. The researcher will use stratified sampling technique in
choosing the respondents that includes the graduates who were available in the
province and tap the heads of the institutions, teachers, families, friends and employers
of the graduates for the data needed.

Data Collection

The researcher will write a letter of intent address to the TESDA Regional
Director and Heads of the accredited institution to ask for approval to conduct the study
and personally administer the distribution of the survey questionnaires to the concern
individuals involved in the study. Will ask favor from the school administrator to request
his/her teacher in the distributions of the questionnaire to the respondents and gather
the same upon retrieval.

ACTIVITIES

Time Frame: 12 months (1year)

TIMELINE ACTION PLAN EXPECTED OUTPUTS

Planning
 Sending of letter of  Letter of approval and
intent to the TESDA date of appointments.
central office  Minutes of
through the regional meetings/consultation
director and school s
heads/  Itineraries
administrators and  Production of
request for validated survey
First Quarter appointments. questionnaires
(Month 1-3)  Formulation and
validation of survey
questionnaire.
 Consultation and
orientations with the
school heads,
concerned
teachers/personnel,
and employers
about the study.
 Formulation of
schedule of
activities
Second Quarter  Profile of the
(Month 4-6) Data Gathering graduates and
 Survey required data for
analysis and
interpretation
Third Quarter Data Consolidations,  Treated, interpreted
(Month 7-9) Analysis and Interpretation and validated data
 Statistical with interpretations.
Treatment and
Analysis
Fourth Quarter Validation, Production, and  Final output for
(Month 10-12) Finalization of Outputs dissemination

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED BUDGET

Period Covered: August 2019- August 2020

 ACCOUNTS ESTIMATED COST
PERSONAL SERVICES
Wages/ Honoraria:
 One (1) Project Leader @ ₱6,000/ ₱ 72, 000.00
month for 1 year
 Two (2) Field Researchers @ ₱ 120,000.00
₱10,000/month for 1 year
 One (1) Statistician @ ₱15,000
₱15,000.00
Sub-total ₱207,000.00
MAINTENANCE AND OTHER OPERATING
EXPENSES
Travel Allowance: ₱3000/month for 1 year ₱36,000.00
Supplies and Materials ₱20,000.00
ICT Equipment: One (1) Printer ₱7,500.00
Communication Expenses
 Mobile Load: ₱300/month for 1 year ₱3,600.00
Representations:
 Snacks/Meals ₱ 80,000.00
 Tokens ₱30,000.00
Sub-total ₱177,100.00
TOTAL ₱384, 100.00

References

Bautista, Elizabeth (March, 2015) The Employability of Graduates of DEPED

Technical – Vocational Schools and the Absorptive Capacity of Local Employers in
Caraga Region. Butuan City: Saint Joseph Institute of Technology.

Sunnico, Romy Jun A., Talili, Ismael N. Efficiency of Technical-Vocational

Education and Training (TVET) Providers. https://ejournals.ph/form/print.php?id=3444
 Mapa, Dennis S., Ph.D., Almeda, Josefina V., PhD., Albis, Manuel Leonard F.
(2016, September). A Dual Benefit Study on Dual Training System in the Phippines.
https://www.bibb.de/dokumente/pdf/TESDA_costbenefit
tesda_oct_7_2016_interactive.pdf

Syjuco, Augusto Boboy, Ph.D. The Philippine Technical Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) System. https://www.tesda.gov.ph/uploads/file/Phil%20TVET
%20system%20-%20syjuco.pdf

TESDA. “Programs: TESD System.”

http://www.tesda.gov.ph/programs1/tesdsys.asp (accessed April, 2019)