TESDA, Bosch produce 5,500 auto mechanics

MANILA, Philippines - The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) produced over 5,500 skilled automotive mechanics from its partnership with Robert Bosch Inc., a local subsidiary of global automotive technology leader Robert Bosch GmbH.

Course graduates were trained and certified via the German company’s Hari ng Talyer (King of the Workshop) program that was conducted in 120 TESDA institutions nationwide and at the Philippine Automotive Technical Training Center (PATTC) in Makati City.

“We are pleased with the continued success of our technical cooperation with TESDA, which we trust will contribute to the overall competitiveness of Filipino skilled workers,” said newly-appointed Bosch Philippines managing director Joseph Hong.

More Filipinos are required to undergo skills training to further their competitiveness in the foreign job market as well as in the local services sector, such as the automotive services industry.

“The Philippines is a service-driven economy,” Hong said. “By supporting skills development through TESDA, Bosch aims to contribute to enhancing the country’s services sector and enable more Filipinos to find quality employment and livelihood.”

Hari ng Talyer enables the workforce to adapt to global competition through employment promotion. By addressing the growing demand for advanced vehicle services through the courses Diesel Fuel Injection, Automotive Electrics & Electronics, and Engine Management, the graduates are sure to deliver world-class quality output.

TESDA and Bosch announced their technical partnership in 2007, agreeing to provide advanced and specialized automotive technology training courses for Filipinos in the local automotive service sector. Since then, the partnership was able to produce over 4,500 graduates in 2009 including some 100 female graduates – this, in addition to 1,000 gradutes in the previous year.

The Hari ng Talyer program uses the same technical modules utilized in over 14,000 Bosch Car Service outlets — the largest global network of independent workshops.

Aiming to harness home-grown talent and expand social livelihood, the TESDA-Bosch technical partnership hopes to welcome more enrollees at the TESDA centers and the PATTC.