A growing number of women are taking TESDA’s non-traditional tech-voc courses such as welding, consumer electronics servicing, and automotive mechanic servicing which are highly in-demand occupations abroad.(Photo by Pol Briana Jr)

TESDA has an answer to the economic meltdown – training and retooling – and a growing number of women defy conventions and cross territories to take this opportunity and prove that what men can do, they can do better!

Have skill, will work.

This may very well be the philosophy that the Technical and Educational Skills Development Authority (TESDA) strives to inculcate in people who are hoping to find jobs, fast!
And these days, those skills can even mean heavy skills that only the macho, blue-collared men used to acquire. Women are indeed fastly catching up!

Take for instance, the growing number of young, spirited and persevering students enrolled in the non-traditional technical-vocational (tech-voc) courses of Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Automotive Mechanic Servicing and Consumer Electronics Servicing at the TESDA Women’s Center (TWC) in Taguig. And mind you, most of them are very feminine, sporting long dyed locks and have boyfriends! But really, they don’t mind getting down and dirty.

TESDA Director General Sec. Augusto Boboy Syjuco credits the growing number of enrollees in these non-traditional jobs to the global demand for these types of occupations, the rewarding monetary compensation that comes with it, and the increasing preference for women.

“The good news is that we can supply the demand by training, re-training and re-tooling our workers. The future is bright,’’ exclaims Syjuco.

TWC head of the operations unit Roy Mingarazal says that although majority are high school graduates who opt for tech-voc course versus college, many enrollees are also college graduates who seek to learn new skills or enhance their knowledge to qualify for in-demand jobs.

Lady welders

From needles and fabrics, 37-year-old sower Salvacion Napoles of Albay, Bicol found it exciting to take on a totally different career path such as welding.

“Gusto ko maiba naman yung trabaho ko at sa tingin ko exciting itong pagwe-welding. Yung tiyahin ng kaibigan ko, 40-plus na ang edad, pero graduate din ng welding at nagtatrabaho sa pagawaan ng barko. Kaya na-encourage ako na pwede pa pala ako at kaya ko rin,” relates Napoles, a high school graduate.

On the other hand, 29-year-old former factory worker Michelle Eugenio of Dasmarinas, Cavite was lured to welding because of the high salary offered to welders abroad and the influence of her boyfriend and peers who are all welders. “Kumpara sa factory na paulit ulit lang, dito sa welding mas marami kang matututunan. May  level ka na pwede pang maatim, pagkatapos ng SMAW, pwede kang mag-aral ulit para maging GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welder). After six months, pwede ka pa irefer ng TESDA para makahanap ng trabaho sa mga kumpanya. Ikaw nalang ang magpapayabong ng natutunan mo,” shares Eugenio, a college undergraduate.

Meanwhile, 32-year-old Katrina Guinto spent months working for her aunt who had a curtain-making business after being laid off from the Hitachi factory in Laguna as a production operator. But upon learning of the opportunities for women welders in Australia, she was enticed to avail of the TESDA scholarship in welding.

“Bago ka pumasok ng welding, dapat iprepare mo sarili mo na magbubuhat ka, masusugatan, mapapaso. Kaya may proper protection kasi kung careless ka hindi ka puede magwelding. Delikado kasi ito, puede ka mabulag, yung gas puede sumabog. Kelangan alerto ka at maingat para sa sarili mo at sa mga kasamahan. Mahirap sa simula pero pag natuto ka na, parang nakakaaddict,” describes Eugenio.

Auto mechanics

Enrolment in the Automotive Mechanics Servicing has also increased over the years from 12-15 students to 20-25 per batch (every six months) these days. Trainor Leah Rose Cruz says the high demand for more female auto mechanics by their partner local auto companies as well as jobs abroad is the reason for this.

She points out that the growing preference for women is due to the good attitude towards work and exceptional performance they exhibit during on-the-job trainings. Usually, they are being absorbed by these companies after they complete the course.

“Ang mga babaeng mechanics matiyaga, malinis at maayos magtrabaho kaya nababawasan mga accidents,” she adds.

For Maria Carla Estrera, 18, of Paranaque, she hopes to make the TESDA courses she is taking as a stepping stone for her to someday pursue a college education. She already finished HRS (Hotel and Restaurant Services) and is now into automotive mechanics servicing.

“Kunektado po ito sa Marine Transportation course na kukunin ko sa college.  Pangarap ko na makatrabaho sa ibang bansa, makasakay at magbutingting ng machines sa barko,” says  Estrera.
Mary Joy Barlita, 28, on the other hand, worked as a domestic helper in Qatar for three years. When she got back, she couldn’t find a job so she decided to take up the auto mechanic course at TESDA. She hopes to try her luck in Canada soon using this new skill.

technicians

For the Consumer Electronics Servicing course, trainor Maria Yolanda de Jesus says enrollees are aplenty.  “Before malaki ang demand sa Taiwan, Korea, Qatar and Canada, pero naapektuhan dahil sa recession. Habang wala pang job openings,  puede naman sila magtayo ng sariling business,” she says.

Twenty-four year old Maria Elena Gongora, a former Industrial Engineering student at Rizal Technological University had to abruptly stop school. She then thought it best to take an electronics course because she learned that TESDA graduates find jobs easily.

“Hindi panlalaki ang job na ito. Kahit babae puede mag-ayos. Mas mabuti na may alam ka pang iba hindi lang magluto at maglaba. Mas maganda din sa babae na may career para may maishare kang kaalaman  sa mga anak mo,” she explains.

From teacher to dressmaker

The only thorn among the roses, is Marlo Robiego, a 26-year-old licensed Math teacher from northern Samar. The youngest in nine children, Robiego is the only one lucky to finish school, as he worked on the side as a make-up artist. When he couldn’t find a job as a teacher, he decided to go to Manila, find better opportunities and study dressmaking at TESDA.

“Sa mga lalaki na gustong manahi pero natatakot na ma-kutya, kelangan gawin niyo kung ano ang nasa puso niyo, kung ano yung hilig kahit anong field pa yan. Hindi na dapat isipin ang sasabihin ng kapwa para mabuhay tayo. As long as hindi masama at nakakaapak ng kapwa, di ipagpatuloy natin,” advises Robiego.

As lady welder Michelle Eugenio aptly puts it, “Wala na rin po ngayong trabaho para sa babae o lalaki lang. Wala ng limitasyon. Ngayon nga babae na ang nagtatrabaho para sa lalaki. Kung ano yung kaya gawin ng lalaki kaya din natin. Pantay-pantay na tayo sa lahat ng bagay.”