President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasized on Thursday the enactment of the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act will help align the current workforce with today’s rapidly evolving, technology-driven job market.
In his speech during the signing of the EBET law at the Malacañan Palace, President Marcos said that while many local livelihood programs provide training, trainees often struggle to find jobs that match their skills.
To address this issue, President Marcos emphasized the EBET Framework Act will align training programs with industry and labor market needs through public-private partnerships.
“That is why it is very important to synchronize our training and our skills training with the actual requirements of industry and the labor market. And that’s why the partnership between private and public is critical,” President Marcos said.
“Because if we are successful in doing this, before a student or a trainee is finished with their training, there already is an available space in the labor market waiting for them, specifically defined by industry and saying what we need are workers with these specific skills,” he added.
The President assured trainees of the government’s continued support for upskilling efforts until they secure the jobs that match their skills.
He said by working closely with specific industries, training can be tailored to meet specific skill demands, ensuring job placements are available as soon as trainees complete their programs.
“And that is – that will address what we have all seen in all our efforts to increase labor – to increase employment, [what] we have seen is the mismatch in terms of skills training and the labor market,” the President said.
“This becomes particularly important in this day and age when after the pandemic everything has become different. And technology has advanced at a meteoric pace and we have to keep up,” he added.
The President said the EBET Framework Act will better prepare Filipino workers for rapid changes, thereby increasing employment opportunities and reducing skills mismatches.
Aside from enhancing the skills of the workforce in partnership with the private sector, the newly signed law will strengthen, rationalize, and harmonize the various EBET training modalities under one framework. | PND
