(Photo by Robert Alfiler)
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez underscored the importance of skills recognition and worker mobility during the WorldSkills Conference in Shanghai, China.
Benitez said recognition systems are becoming more important as workers move across borders and employers increasingly look beyond traditional academic qualifications.
“We need systems that recognize what people know and can do, wherever and however those skills were acquired,” he said.
The TESDA chief joined discussions on how skills recognition frameworks can support cross-border mobility, lifelong learning and labor-market needs amid the global shift toward skills-first hiring.
Benitez also stressed that greater industry participation in defining and certifying skills should not create new barriers for workers seeking opportunities.
TESDA said the conference examined how national and international competency frameworks can connect qualifications systems, skills taxonomies, digital and micro-credentials, and private sector participation.
Discussions also covered mutual recognition of qualifications, digital credentials, regional qualifications frameworks, and cross-border apprenticeship and work-based learning models.
The Sept. 22 to 27 conference brought together global leaders to discuss changing workforce demands and emerging approaches to skills development.
TESDA said its participation is part of efforts to exchange knowledge and learn from international practices in technical and vocational education and training.
