President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is making headway in efforts to give Filipino workers the skills needed by the country’s priority industries.

During his visit to the Batangas State University (BSU) LIMA Campus and the Global Technical Center of Excellence (GTCOE) in Malvar, Batangas on Sept. 7, Marcos Jr. cited several accomplishments in education and technical-vocational training.

The President said more than 700 micro-credential competency programs were registered from July 2022 to May 2026, which he said was more than double the target set for June 2028.

Nearly five million technical-vocational education and training (TVET) graduates were also assessed during the same period, he said.

The number of TVET assessors likewise increased from more than 13,500 in July 2022 to 16,640 as of May 2026.

As of April 2026, nearly 3,820 beneficiaries had enrolled in the Enterprise-based Education and Training Program, which gives trainees hands-on experience in actual workplaces.

“This initiative gives them hands-on experience in actual industry environments and increases their chance of employability,” Marcos Jr. said.

“Our accomplishments remind us of what is possible when we give our people the skills and the opportunities that they need.”

Marcos Jr. said BSU is helping bring education and training closer to the needs of industries.

The university currently offers 10 undergraduate engineering programs and eight graduate programs, along with micro-credential programs that allow professionals to gain additional skills and certifications.

BSU also offers working professionals a way to earn college degrees by recognizing prior learning and industry experience through the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program.

Marcos Jr. also cited the GTCOE as an example of how industry and the academe can work together to train workers for the power sector.

The center was established through a partnership between Japan-based JERA Co. Inc. and AboitizPower and provides technical training and knowledge-sharing programs for engineers and technical professionals.IMT