Primary Structures Educational Foundation, Inc.

Sequa’s Project Director Susann Gerlach and K to 12 Plus Project Coordinator Andreas Dernbach visited the project partners of K to 12 Plus Project in the Philippines held on 19 February 2018 at SKILLS Campus. The visit highlighted SKILLS’ success on its project implementation of the pilot class in the construction cluster with 19 students who successfully graduated in March 2017. The next phase of the program is the implementation of the Plus Element that aims to pilot a Dual Training System approach as an advancement training program that will prepare a Tech Voc graduate to take an NC-III qualification level together with a bundled related trade, in such case Plumbing NC-III + Waterproofing.  The K to 12 Plus Project is a multi-stakeholder initiative supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) that aims to assist the ongoing Education and Training Reform of the Government of the Philippines. The K to 12 PLUS Project will focus on

The Association of Foundation convened the Education Cluster of the Zero Extreme Poverty by 2030 Movement for its first meeting and learning session for 2018. Seventeen (17) organizations participated in the Cluster meeting held on February 23, 2018 at the Assisi Development Foundation conference hall, Strata 2000, Pasig City. The group included local convenors for Sumilao, Bukidnon (Del Monte Foundation, Inc.), Sarangani (Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc. and Sarangani Province Empowerment and Community Transformation Forum, Inc.), Lanao del Norte (Ayala Foundation, Inc.), Cebu (Coalition for Better Education), and Antipolo, Rizal (Smart Communications, Inc.). The Education Cluster's work plan for 2018 was approved, and mapping of families has already started in some of the pilot areas. The Zero Extreme Poverty 2030 movement is a product of the Poverty Summit in 2015 with the theme "Building Pathways in Reducing Poverty and Inequality". The Poverty

TESDA awarded the City of Talisay a scholarship training on Carpentry NC II to fifty (50) women detainees of Talisay City Jailas part of its plan to offer more training services to rural poor providing them access to technical vocational education and training. This program aims to provide interventions through skills development to inmates for self or wage-employment that will uplift their economic status and facilitate reintegration in their respective communities. SKILLS is the partner institution that will provide the mobile training inside the Talisay City Jailthat will run from December 2017 to February 2018.These trainees will receive a National Certificates (NC II) once they passed the competency assessment. by Rhea A. Cedeño

Under the TESDA’s Bottoms-up Budgeting Program (BuB), the local government of Mandaue in partnership with the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) is currently running free skills training to sixty two (62) female inmates of Mandaue City Jail.The training program will run from December 2017 to March 2018 that will focus in Carpentry NC II, Plaster Concrete Masonry Surface and Install Pre-Cast Balusters and Handrail (leading to Masonry NC II). TESDA is one of the participating agencies that are tasked to ensure the implementation of social development projects as identified at the city/municipal level through the BuB participatory planning and budgeting process. The project aims to provide livelihood skills that will help the communities get more opportunities for employment. Aside from the technical aspect of the training, the program also integrates soft skills on entrepreneurship where they can develop their own business upon reintegration to the community. The

A proverbial line goes “you reap what you sow” is proven to be true. The scholars reaped the fruit of their hardwork and commitment after completing their twenty-one (21) days training in Carpentry NC II as they all passed the National Competency assessment conducted on February 6, 7 & 9, 2018. The successful passers are scholars of TESDA under the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP). Part of their training were exposure to different project sites of Primary Structures Corporation where they experience actual work and learning on carpentry works. They also underwent intensive lectures and workshops prior to their site immersion. For them to be fully equipped, trainees were not just taught of technical skills but life skills as well. These trainees are now ready to take the job!   by Rovilla H. Gamao

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) once again partnered with Primary Structures Corporation for the implementation of the 3rd tranche of JobStart Philippines Program. The program seeks to assist young Filipinos start their career by providing them with skills assessment, life skills training, career coaching, technical and vocational education training for a maximum period of three (3) months and internship or on-the-job experience with the partner establishment for maximum period of three (3) months. JobStarters are entitled to internship stipends of at least 75% of the required minimum wage. This program is an employment facilitation initiative of DOLE with funding support from the Government of Canada and technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank. A total of 89 students will participate in this training; 42 trainees in Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II; 21 trainees in Housekeeping NC II; and, 26 trainees in Electrical Installation and Maintenan