Leyte town to conduct skills training for jobless residents

BARUGO, Leyte, Nov. 11 (PNA) -- The local government here has announced the conduct of skills training to hundreds of jobless town folks in a bid to prepare them for future job hunting.

The initiative, which will start this month, is in partnership with public employment service office (PESO) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

PESO manager Armie Joy Elizondo said village officials have been informed about the upcoming training to ensure wider participation of their residents.

“We don’t just accept enrollee for the sake of coming up with number of target participants because we have to make sure that they are really interested,” Elizondo said.

This year, TESDA offers 14 different training courses related to food processing, beauty enhancement, engine maintenance, and construction having a total slots of 334 for the town.

Enrollees avail the training for free and they also receive PHP60 daily allowance.

According to Elizondo, the trainings contributed a lot in addressing unemployment. Many out of school youths trained in the past are now productive workers.

The official noted that unemployment is a serious problem in their town considering that even college graduates also join skills training.

Free trainings were launched in 2007 under the enhancement of skills for gainful employment opportunities for the youth program. It aims to help those who are interested to enroll in the training, but cannot afford to take it in Tacloban, the provincial capital. (PNA)

 PGL/SQM/Ma. Mercedes C. Arpon (OJT)