The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), has opened a new off-campus training and assessment facility aimed at expanding skills development opportunities for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
The OWWA Kasanayan at Kabuhayan Center (OKKC) was formally launched on Monday in Intramuros, Manila, to provide Filipino workers with greater access to technical-vocational training programs and skills assessment services.
OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said the facility aims to help workers improve their skills and qualifications to access better employment opportunities, particularly those seeking to transition to other occupations.
“We want to upskill former domestic workers to become caregivers, barista,” Caunan said in an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
Caunan emphasized that developing the right skills is one of the best ways to protect OFWs and support their welfare. She also highlighted the importance of continuous learning and career planning, citing developments and opportunities in neighboring Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.
The OKKC will offer several training programs, including Japanese A1 Language, Electronic Commerce (E-commerce), Information and Communications Technology (ICT), housekeeping, caregiving, barista training, and bartending.
Through these courses, OFWs and returning Filipino workers can gain additional competencies that may help them qualify for new jobs or explore livelihood opportunities after their overseas employment.
According to TESDA, the partnership seeks to broaden access to skills development, create new livelihood opportunities, and support the sustainable reintegration of OFWs into the Philippines after their service abroad.
The establishment of the training facility forms part of efforts to help returning workers strengthen their qualifications and prepare for employment or livelihood opportunities in the country.