The TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP) is one of the newest projects of the Agency. Essentially, it seeks to address the need for employment of skilled tech-voc graduates who were unsuccesful in landing jobs in the formal sector. It promotes self-employment and inspires the graduates to be involved in productive livelihood endeavors to help themselves and their communities.
The TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP) is a holistic approach to skills development taking into consideration the limited job opportunities from the wage employment sector and the demand for services by the households and the immediate communities. It is designed to help TVET trained and certified graduates/workers to get into productive undertakings to help themselves to earn income through self-employment in their communities. The TSTP’s basic philosophy is rooted in empowering TESDA Specialistas to form active groups, own and manage their own service companies with assistance by TESDA and other groups who will act as catalyst. The TSTP aims to create employment opportunities, contribute to poverty alleviation and to produce responsible citizens.
TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP) is designed to generate livelihood enterprises to be managed by certified tech-voc graduates. The Specialistas shall receive full support from TESDA and the officials of the local government units were the graduates reside. An aggrupation is a cluster of related skills whose services are highly needed by households and residents, namely; building/house repair and maintenance, beauty care and wellness, appliance repair, computer hardware servicing, food and beverage services, automotive/vehicle maintenance, and small engine repair/servicing.
TESDA certified tech-voc graduates who are also referred to as “Tesda Specialista“ usually form groups and are provided with start-up kits.
The kit, which is given free by Tesda to the graduates, include tools and equipment they need in starting a business or services in line with their course.
To ensure the profitability of the services rendered by the Specialistas, Tesda-1 hired job order called “nurturers” to monitor the operations, make daily inventory report of their income, and submit weekly accomplishment report.
The TSTP is a project of Tesda that also addresses the employability of certified tech-voc graduates by facilitating gainful activities and offering the option of entrepreneurship aside from wage-employment.