As part of the agency’s thrust to increase awareness on the positive gains of entrepreneurship, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) link up to provide TESDA graduates with access to trainings on entrepreneurship to equip them with the necessary skills on entrepreneurship and employment.

According to DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez, acquired business skills by TESDA trainees from the Skills Training for Employment/Entrepreneurship Program (STEEP) can be used in effectively running their businesses in the future.

“This partnership not only complements our objective to equip our people with the right mindset and basic skills, it also contributes to our national goal to realize inclusive growth towards shared prosperity, powered by smarter Filipino entrepreneurs,” Sec. Lopez said.

STEEP aims provide interventions through skills development by providing access to training on entrepreneurship to graduates of TESDA program for self or wage employment to uplift their economic status.

“Through this partnership, we are glad to help TESDA graduates acquire more skills and development which can give them more opportunities to improve their lives by engaging in vibrant entrepreneurial activities,” said DTI Regional Operations Group Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya.

Under the agreement, TESDA will provide its list of graduates to DTI from the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP) and other similar scholarship program, assist in the conduct of the entrepreneurship training, and monitor and evaluate the implementation of the project.

Upon assessment and selection of TESDA’s certified STEP graduates, DTI, in turn, will provide entrepreneurship training, assist in availment of the microfinancing facilities, provide them access to start-up capital for micro enterprises, and even facilitate business registration of those who wish to engage in business/sole proprietorship.

“This is the service that we will provide to them,” Maglaya explained, adding that “from giving them the right mindset, to ensuring that they will have assistance until they decided to put up their own business, we will make sure that we are with them every step of their entrepreneurial journey.”

The STEEP agreement with TESDA is one of the Department’s initiatives to sustainably generate employment and further promote entrepreneurship in the country as DTI pushes for its “Trabaho at Negosyo” agenda.