Speaking during the launch of TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP) held recently, President Benigno Aquino III said that he is inclined to increase the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) training budget for possible workers in the Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) sector.

Delivering his speech in Filipino, President Aquino said that P500 million was provided to TESDA under the administration’s economic stimulus program. This is for training 65,000 workers who are set to enter the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. He added that if the training is successful, additional training budget will surely follow.

The President said that he is happy with the TESDA program’s results so far. But he expressed that he would like to see more of the individuals who took the training classes to get hired immediately after the training. He also urged TESDA to provide the training graduates with link ups to employment.

TESDA has been working closely with some of the players in the local BPO sector for the IT-BPO Industry-Based Training Work Scholarship Program (I-TWSP). The agency said that the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) has committed to hiring at least 70 % of the training graduates. They will be hired six months after graduation.

In an interview with Business World’s Johanna D. Poblete, TESDA Director-General Joel J. Villanueva said that of the P500 million training budget that was released, P164,559,500 has been allocated to training potential BPO workers that met quality management standards. The P335,440,500 remaining balance will be used for further training in fields like computer programming and animation. Mr. Villanueva added that more than 70 % of the TESDA training graduates are hired as trainees in BPO companies.