A WORLD CLASS FILIPINO

By:SALVADOR A. CIUDADANO IV
       TEACHER III
       MNCHS

                 The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is tasked to both manage and supervise the Philippines’ Technical Education and Skills Development (TESD). Its goals are to develop the Filipino workforce with “world-class competence and positive work values” and to provide quality technical-educational and skills development through its direction, policies, and programs.

                  Basically, for the past two decades, the agency has been the government’s partner in producing Filipino workforce that could highly compete in other countries. That it is in terms of skills, competence, and reliability.

                  At first TESDA offered limited vocational courses. At one time, during former President Benigno Aquino’s tenure, he was very supportive to assimilate programs that would enlighten learner and students to become entrepreneurs. Every program TESDA offered was literally to make sure that though the fact given it would only be vocational courses, they’d end up being more knowledgeable by integrating business opportunities as well.

                 One of these courses the agency offered is Commercial Cooking which is a technical-vocational program that develops skills in planning, preparing, cooking, and serving various menus. Students are taught how to make or cook meat, appetizers, salads, vegetables, sandwiches, eggs, desserts and more.

                The program offered by TESDA for Commercial Cooking is not difficult. The topics discussed in this program are basic concepts in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Thus, the lessons are generally easy to understand. So, if you’re thinking of getting or applying for this program, you don’t need to worry much because it does not require complex thinking.

               The challenging parts of the program are the practicums and simulations where students will perform certain procedures in the kitchen and will be observed and graded by their instructor based on their performance. Aside from these, there are no other difficult requirements.

               It gives students amazing opportunities for their On-the-Job-Training (OJT) to be assigned in different food and beverage service facilities, hotels, motels, restaurants, clubs, canteens, resorts, or any other related operations. Big and Five-star hotel and resorts like Sofitel, Shangri-La, Diamond, and Fairmont encouragingly accepts TESDA scholars. Though internships at these hotels do not compensate a student for whatever works, they can give added attraction to a resumé for future job applications.

             Ultimately, students who were able to complete the course and graduate can take the Assessment and Certification Exam, National Certificate Level II (NC II). After passing the exam, they will be fully certified and are very much capable to work here or abroad. But graduates should keep in mind that the National Certificate is valid only for five years which means that it must be renewed /revalidated.

             Jobs under the commercial cooking program belong to the general category of the Hotel and Restaurant/Tourism industry- jobs under this field are in demand abroad.

          According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Filipino chefs and cooks are in demand abroad. Aside from culinary skills, foreign countries prefer to hire Filipino chefs and cooks because of their English language proficiency which makes communication easier. One can end up in so many job opportunities such as a junior chef, pastry chef, sous chef, or a kitchen manager. In this kind of endeavor, one really needs to be hardworking, passionate, and persevering.