The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Cordillera delegates bagged four gold and four silver medals during the conduct of the annual zonal skills competition, an official said on Friday.
“It was a mission accomplished for Team Cordillera after winning four gold and four silver medals during the annual skills competition. This was the result of unraveling their skills and showcasing their expertise in various trade areas following weeks of rigid training and coaching,” said TESDA Baguio/Benguet Provincial Director David Bungallon who serves as the Technical Delegate Assistant for the Zonal Skills Competition.
He said that Team Cordillera got gold in Cookery through Jonathan Supsupin of Baguio City School of Arts and Trades (BCSAT), Wall and Floor Tiling through Richard Garcia of the Provincial Training Center (PTC)-Ifugao, Joinery through Gypson Maitang of PTC-Mountain Province, and Web Design Development through Jayrod Galaus of Informatics.
“The team also got four silver medals for restaurant services through Kris Dan Atas of BCSAT, IT software for Business Solution through JM Natividad, Graphic Design Technology through John Ross Alba from Informatics, and Cabinet Making through Rex Laguinday of PTC- Kalinga,” he added.
He said that the CAR delegation competed in the following trade areas: Cookery, Restaurant Service, IT Software for Business Solution, Web Design Development, Graphics Design Technology, Hair Dressing, Beauty Therapy, Welding Technology, Joinery, Cabinet Making, and Wall & Floor Tiling.
“The rigid training, coaching and mind-conditioning to prepare the competitors and the experts really paid off. It was a big achievement for the team,” he noted.
He said that winners in the Zonal Skills Competition will compete in the National Skills Competition then to ASEAN Skills Competition (ASC).
A total of 11 competitors and their 11 experts represented the region in the skills competition and competed against eight regional delegations.
He said that the contest packages of the competition were designed based on the ASEAN standards and that the system of judging used the World Skills Competition Information System (CIS) to ensure international alignment and competitiveness.
PD Bungallon defined CIS as the scoring system used in the competition that transforms raw scores by expert judges into the 700 marks. It awards following the medal system with graduation from gold, silver and bronze.
He also said that ‘Diploma of Excellence’ is awarded to competitors who gained 700 CIS Mark but no medal awarded.
Gearing towards gold camp
PD Bungallon said that experts and competitors must continue to sustain their high spirit and training for the higher level skills competition.
He explained there will be a gold camp as a training ground for the competitors where they will be further trained for the ASC.
“The gold winners will be vying in the ASC. If there are no gold winners in a trade skills area, the silver medalist will compete,” he explained.
He emphasized there is a need for a longer training and proper selection of competitors.
“Exposure to higher level of competitions and more rigid trainings is vital to become a winner,” PD Bungallon said.
By PMTG