Training center launches facilities for welding, hospitality programs

CEBU, Philippines - In line with the company’s vision to produce globally-competent Filipino workers, two facilities for welding and hospitality programs were recently launched by a training and assessment center for all construction-related trades.

Last Monday, Primary Structures Educational Foundation, Inc. (PSEFI) inaugurated the Canadian Welding Bureau Facility (CWB-F) and the Hospitality Training Center (HTC) situated at the School of Knowledge for Industrial Labor, Leadership and Services (Skills) campus, General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City.

PSEFI chief operations officer Paulette Liu said that these facilities shall enhance the existing programs that are aimed at providing the desired skills trainings for the students and employment opportunities in the country and abroad.

“We find ways to help less privileged Filipinos and out-of-school youth who cannot afford education and give them a better life through our scholarship programs. We train, assess and certify them for local and overseas employment. We want Filipinos to be globally-certified workers,” she said.

PSEFI is the first welding school outside Canada that conducts a CWB designed welding training curriculum.

To address the growing demand for hospitality workers, SKILLS offered new courses in housekeeping and household services early of this year.

HTC provides the students with a multifunction and hotel-simulated laboratory for training.

Canadian Ambassador Christopher Thornley said that the inauguration of the facilities would pave the way for an intensive training for Filipino skilled workers, preparing them to meet the growing demand for welders in Canada.

He added that Canada will require 400,000 welders come 2020.

He said that this could prompt the country to market people from other countries such as the Philippines which he then described as the largest source of skilled and competent workers.

Liu cited that the strong partnership of PSEFI with Canada symbolizes an optimistic joint venture of both countries towards providing accredited and competent labor force for the domestic and international construction market.

She added that PSEFI is eyeing to expand its training opportunities in other parts of the country but revealed that they will first start to build another CWB facility in Cebu later this year.

SKILLS school administrator Ludy Marie Lawas said that the center also caters to high school and college graduates and even provide 100 percent scholarship to deserving students.

She added that at present, SKILLS has 186 scholars.

In 2008, PSEFI was established as the training arm of local professional construction company, the Primary Structures Corp. (PSC).

Certified by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), PSEFI has produced over 1000 skilled graduates since its founding with 100 percent passing certification rate and a sustained employability rate of 90 percent.

The first CWB batch of 115 composed of 115 students graduated on the same day of the inauguration of the facilities.

Addressing the competency gap between the academe and industry, PSEFI forge partnership for its skills training program with local universities in Cebu like the University of San Carlos and the University of San Jose - Recoletos.

Three months after PSC ventured into training construction workers in 2004, the company was also able to produce its first batch of heavy equipment lady operators in Cebu.

Now, PSEFI has been developing highly-skilled women as masons, carpenters, drywall installers, painters, welders and electricians in order to provide equal employment opportunities for both men and women. / JOB (FREEMAN)