The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA is the government agency tasked to manage and supervise technical education and skills development (TESD) in the Philippines. It was created by virtue of Republic Act 7796, otherwise known as the “Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994”. The said Act integrated the functions of the former National Manpower and Youth Council (NMYC), the Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (BTVE-DECS) and the Office of Apprenticeship of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

TESDA provides direction, policies, programs and standards towards quality technical education and skill development.

TESDA is the leading partner in the development of the Filipino workforce with the world class-competence and positive work values.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) now has close to 20,000 registered programs all over the country, dominated by in-demand courses such as those related to Information and Communication Technology and Tourism.

College education is still popular among youth, but technical vocational education and training (TVET) is offering them a new route to rewarding careers.

To ensure that graduates of TVET programs are given quality training, TESDA requires all technical vocational institutions (TVIs) to register the programs they offer under the Unified TVET Program Registration and Accreditation System (UTPRAS). Through this process, the agency reviews the TVI’s curriculum, qualification of faculty and staff, facilities, tools, supplies and materials and see to it that they meet the set standard.

This is to guarantee that schools are not offering substandard courses and that their graduates possess the competencies required of the job.

Most of the programs are available in the National Capital Region (NCR), followed by Region IV-A (Calabarzon) and Region III (Central Luzon).

Tourism (Hotel and Restaurant); Information and Communication Technology; Health, Social and Other Community Development Services; Construction; Automotive and Land Transportation; Metals and Engineering; and, Electronics emerged as the top sectors with the most number of registered programs.

Among the sectors that need boosting are agriculture and fishery; maritime; aviation; and, garments.

TESDA Programs and Services

TESDA Scholarship and Student Assistance Programs aim to address equity and access by providing direct financial assistance to deserving TVET enrollees across all regions in the country.

With the main thrust to equip disadvantaged out-of-school youths and unemployed but capable adults with skills needed by priority sectors, TESDA offers scholarship programs to assist trainees and potential trainees financially. Regular scholarship programs come in the form of the Training-for-Workshop Scholarship (TWSP) and the Private Education and Student Financial Assistance (PESFA).

Scholarship and Student Assistance Programs

• Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP)
• Private Education Student Fund Assistance (PESFA)
• Special Training for Employment (STEP)
• Cash for Training Project (C4TP)
• Coke-TESDA Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources
• Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) Program
• TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP)

Fresh funds have been allocated to a major program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to help high school graduates pursue technical-vocational education or tech-voc.

The 2015 budget gives the Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) a P200-million fund for this year for the training of 21,053 students in various private institutions all over the country.

Online Application System for Scholarship Programs

For Free TESDA Scholarship programs in your area, please register here: https://t2mis.tesda.gov.ph/Barangay