In collaboration with the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Capiz, the Barangay Council of Bula, the Capiz provincial government and the Capiz State University (CapSU), the Capiz State University Extension Institute led the graduation exercises of some 35 students of the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) held on October 6, 2010 in barangay Bula, Mambusao, Capiz.
Under the theme “Timbuok Bula para Kaayuhan, Skills Training Kinahanglan, Aton Buas Damlag Tamdan, Dr. Raul L. Ticar, CapSU extension director, joined other representatives of said government agencies in conferring the Certificates of Completion to 35 graduates including 29 male students and six female students—among them barangay councilmen and out-of-school youth in Bula, Bato-bato and neighboring barangays in Mambusao town.
According to Engr. Kenneth Occeño, CapSU extension chairman and MTS team leader, the 35 new graduates are an addition to some 300 past student beneficiaries of the MTS since its inception in 2007. The welding lecture sessions and workshops were held from August 14, 2010 to September 3, 2010 in the Barangay Hall of Bula, Mambusao.
Led by the Mobile Technology Schools (MTS), an intervention by CapSU that seeks to provide skills enhancement training through technology transfer and livelihood education across the province of Capiz, the two-month skills training course was facilitated by Mr. Remar Apolinario, extension coordinator for Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology in CapSU Roxas City Campus and Mr. Lee Bangcoyo, lead trainer, who lectured and led the workshops for the key competencies for welding as required by TESDA.
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COLLABORATORS AND BENEFICIARIES
The collaboration between six government agencies and institutions is led by (seated from left) Dr. Raul L. Ticar, CapSU extension director; TESDA Capiz Provincial Director Victor Gallego; DOLE Provincial Head Ricardo Monegro; and Engr. Kenneth Occeño, CapSU extension chairman and MTS team leader.
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Thirty-six-year old Joven Gavino of Bato-bato said the training helped him appreciate not only the concepts behind arc welding but also the skills involved in it. According to Gavino, the workshops they had allowed for them an indispensable hands-on learning experience. A certificate holder of marine engineering course in University of Iloilo, Gavino said that if given the chance, he would want to teach the same skills to high school students in Capiz. The deckhand personnel course graduate from Aklan Polytechnic College also said he would first want to work abroad primarily to generate income for their family.
Joelly Ann Celoso, 20 years old, is among the six female students of the course. Celoso said she enlisted in this free course after seeing on TV a strong demand for female welders abroad. But the Bula out-of-school youth who completed all fifteen days sessions said she might as well need experience first before considering working abroad. Celoso is grateful for the important skills imparted to her by the trainers and also cited the free opportunity given to her barangay. She vowed to start her own welding shop in two years.
Meanwhile, 55-year old Noe Guilaran, one of the oldest students in the group, is currently a barangay kagawad of Bula, who sought to learn the welding skills in order to help out his family and relatives.
According to lead trainer Lee Bangcoyo (right photo), who currently teaches at CapSU Roxas Campus, the Bula batch taught them a number of lessons. They saw the interest of the students to learn the skills which then inspired them to prioritize teaching those with zero stock knowledge. Bangcoyo said once they were able to learn the skill, they (the trainers) sought that learned students assist them in teaching others. Such concept of apprenticeship virtually helped the students to learn better.
The graduation exercises for the new welders drew a number of insights from the guests. Among others, DOLE Provincial Head Ricardo Monegro urged the graduates to “build their skills” for some six months to one year first before they sell them to the rest of the world. Monegro also encouraged them to prioritize working in the country first. For him, working abroad should only be their second choice.
Monegro urged the students association, named SMAW Sting to register their group with the DOLE office and take the association seriously as it can help them find jobs in the future. Gerel Ledesma, the 21-year-old president of the association, in turn, vowed to lead the group to good organization and fruition.
