HEADS up, Gen Z! Want to stand out and get hired straight out of high school? Then it’s time to take skills training seriously.
That’s the message of TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez, who on Wednesday encouraged students to embrace lifelong learning and upskilling — because let’s face it, the job market is changing fast.
“Hindi natatapos sa classroom ang pag-aaral. Kailangan laging handa at may bagong skills kasi mabilis ang takbo ng mundo ng trabaho,” Benitez said at the post-SONA conference in San Juan.
So what does that mean for you?
TESDA is now working closely with senior high schools to offer training and certification.
Think: National Certificate (NC) II or III — a big plus on your resume even before college.
In fact, 175,000 senior high students were already certified this year alone.
That’s not just a number — that’s real career power. According to recent industry surveys, 4 out of 5 companies are willing to hire senior high grads if they have skill certifications.
“’Yun ang edge n’yo. Kung may TESDA certificate ka, may laban ka agad,” Benitez added.
Tech-voc is becoming a game changer — not just for those skipping college, but even for those planning to go. It’s about being future-ready and equipped, wherever life takes you.
President Bongbong Marcos even highlighted this in his recent SONA, saying almost P60 billion will be allocated for free public college and tech-voc training.
So whether you’re aiming to be a coder, welder, barista, or creative designer — start building your skills now. Your future self will thank you.
