Partners for excellent education. Joining the graduates of the Kananga-EDC Institute of Technology are Leyte Provincial Board Member Deborah Bertulfo, Energy Development Corporation (EDC) President and COO Richard Tantoco, KEITECH President Paul Aquino, Kananga Mayor Elmer Codilla and EDC SVP Ernesto Pantangco.
A total of 140 trainees of the Kananga-EDC Institute of Technology (KEITECH) are set to graduate today and fulfill their dream of better lives for their families as well as uphold the institution’s tradition of excellence. Of the 140 graduates, 50 obtained certifications in metals and engineering, 17 in tourism, 25 in pipe fitting, 23 in plumbing and 25 in electrical installation and maintenance.
Armed with the skills and values that they learned in KEITECH after 10.3 months of training and national certifications from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), KEITECH’s third batch of graduates can now look forward to all the employment opportunities that await them not only in Leyte but even in Cebu, Manila, Batangas, and abroad.
KEITECH, which was established in 2009 as a premiere technical-vocational training center in Kananga, Leyte, has prepared these students for jobs that are currently in demand locally and abroad, namely, construction, metals and engineering, and tourism, health and social services. The institution was established by Energy Development Corporation (EDC), the world’s largest integrated geothermal company and the Municipality of Kananga, host of EDC’s Leyte Geothermal Production Field (LGPF). Since 2010, KEITECH has already produced a total of 378 graduates that include females specializing in welding.
“These graduates are a living proof that when different sectors of society work together for a noble vision, wonderful things can happen. They are the realization of our vision to produce world-class workers possessing superior technical skills with matching values worthy of admiration and emulation. KEITECH is EDC’s way of helping our host communities achieve their dreams and improve their lives,” EDC Chairman Emeritus Oscar M. Lopez said.
Ensuring employment through job placement program
KEITECH’s assistance to its trainees encompasses employment opportunities through its on-the-job training (OJT) and job placement program. The graduates are given access to labor market intelligence reports, online job kiosks, and job fairs, enabling them to map out employment opportunities. The school even assists its graduates in their passport applications for foreign employment.
The institution has signed agreements with several companies which guarantees OJT for the trainees and possible employment after training. Most of these companies which include construction, shipping firms and hotels have renewed their contracts with KEITECH because of the superior performance of the graduates they employed. Those which have renewed contracts are Cebu Marriott Hotel, Cebu Parklane International Hotel, Costabella Tropical Beach Hotel, Primary Structures Corporation, and Colorado Shipyard, Inc.
KEITECH’s aggressive placement program has increased the graduates’ employability. Out of this year’s 140 graduates, 94 or 67% has already secured jobs. The number is expected to increase with the positive reviews of the employers of the first two batches of KEITECH graduates and the addition of more companies providing OJT and jobs. Among the new companies that signed agreements with KEITECH are KEPPEL Philippines Marine, Inc., Metaphil, Quest Hotel and Conferences Center, and Golden Prince Hotel and Suites. Last year, KEITECH logged its highest employment rating when 118 or 98% of its 121 graduates immediately found employment.
“Two of the graduates we hired are very successful and brought some good feedback both from our principal and their co-workers onboard their assigned vessel MV Queen Elizabeth. In fact, they were nominated as “White Star Service” awardees due to exceptional quality work, discipline and dedication to their assigned tasks. We have not received such kind of special recognition on any of our new hires onboard Cunard ships,” Rene Riel, SVP for Operations of Singa Ship Management Phils., attested.
Metaphil Senior Project Manager Alex Garciano echoed Mr. Riel’s assessment of KEITECH graduates. “I applaud KEITECH for producing graduates that are ideal workers for the industry like the Metaphil whose vision is for excellence and productivity. KEITECH graduates are really tailored for our needs; multi-skilled, disciplined, hardworking and are versatile. They are really well-trained and psychologically prepared for the workplace.”
Setting records in national certifications
KEITECH continues to set records in TESDA’s National Certification (NC) with this year’s graduates successfully obtaining a total of 594 NC1 and NC2 on top of scoring a consistent 100% passing rate. With its accomplishments, KEITECH has quickly become the benchmark for other tech-voc training centers in the Philippines. Acknowledging the results, TESDA plans to adopt KEITECH’s values formation program in all its training centers. TESDA assessors who evaluated the facilities, trainees and trainers in all qualifications gave ratings between “very good” and “very excellent.” One assessor even commented that KEITECH is “unbeatable.”
KEITECH’s good track record and contribution to technological-vocational education in the region was formally recognized by TESDA as it conferred a Kabalikat award (Institution Category) to the school in 2010. The award is given to institutions, local government units and industries with best practices that promote or enhance Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Governor Jericho Petilla lauded EDC for making KEITECH at par or even better than other technical-vocational schools in the country and ensuring that its graduates are thoroughly trained and can immediately land good jobs in various companies.
Making the difference through values formation
Taking off from the prescribed training program of TESDA, the KEITECH curriculum integrated EDC’s recommendations for additional lessons in Math, English, occupational health and safety, and practical exercises. EDC further raised the level of training program by incorporating lessons and practices on discipline and values development in the students’ regimen.
“At KEITECH, we put special emphasis on building the character of our trainees. Our long experience in business and human relations has taught us that skilled or smart people come and go, but the ones who possess integrity, discipline and strong moral character are those who last,” Mr. Lopez stressed.
KEITECH students are trained to be multi-skilled workers, but it is the values and good habits that have proven essential in giving its graduates a distinct advantage in seeking and keeping employment.
Paying it forward
KEITECH’s “pay-it-forward” concept is being practiced by its grateful graduates. The employed graduates of Batch 1 and Batch 2 have already donated P8,900 and P10,500, respectively, to the school to help support the next batch of trainees. While this concept is not compulsory, since all expenses for the school and trainees are shouldered by EDC and the local government of Kananga, the trainees are encouraged to donate whatever amount they can not only to help the trainees but to inspire other to give back and perpetuate the cycle of knowledge and opportunity.
The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) is a pioneer in generating 100% clean, renewable, and reliable power as an electricity supplier in the Philippines for over 40 years. With power plants all over Visayas and Mindanao, the company is one of the biggest producers of geothermal energy in Asia and is expanding its reach in the international market, allowing it to offer customers affordable energy rates. EDC also strives to provide the best customer service it can to all its clients by having helpful salespeople and easy to understand contracts. Because of all of this, it is poised to become the premier supplier of electricity for the Philippines’ Green Energy Option Program. EDC takes its mission as a renewable energy provider seriously and goes beyond sustainability by investing in programs that enhance the environment and empower its partner communities, thereby fostering regenerative development. The company has also been working toward being carbon-neutral by improving its energy efficiency, as well as implementing various greening projects to ensure that its mission to provide future generations with a better life remains intact.
