MANILA - Over 400 people have joined this year's national skills competition, for a chance to participate in the World Skills Competition in China next year, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) announced Monday. Participants from across the country will showcase their talents until December 16 in the competition to be held at the TESDA Central Office in Taguig City, as well as its offices in Cordillera Administrative Region, Regions 2(Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), 4-A (Calabarzon), and 7 (Central Visayas). "This started with provincial skills competition, then moving to the regional skills competition. We modified the way competitions are held. There were three ways the competition can be conducted: in-person, virtual and hybrid competition. We developed our health and safety protocol for the competition which were strictly followed by the competitors," TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapena told the Philippine News Agency in an interview. He added that they ensured all participants are fully vaccinated. TESDA also provided health kits to all participants. Among the skills areas in the national competition are electrical installation, carpentry, plumbing and heating, refrigeration and air conditioning, wall and floor tiling, landscape gardening, cabinet making, and joinery for the construction and building technology sector; mechanical engineering CAD, electronics, mechatronics, welding, and prototype modeling for the manufacturing and engineering technology sector; and 3D digital game art, fashion technology, and graphics design technology for the creative arts and fashion sector. Also included are information network cabling, IT network systems administration, IT software solutions for business, cybersecurity, and web technologies for the information and communication technology sector; beauty therapy, hairdressing, cooking, restaurant services, bakery, and hotel reception for the social and personal services sector; and automobile technologies for transportation and logistics sector. Lapena said the competition is also open for non-TESDA graduates. He said not all winners will be sent to China. "We will send our national winners according to the skill areas that will be open in World Skills Shanghai in 2022. However, the skills that are currently part of the (national level) are the usual skills in international skills competitions," he added. TESDA will shoulder the expenses of those who will compete in China since the skills competition is part of the agency's mandate. In past international skills competitions, he said many Filipino competitors were able to bring home medallions. "Training preparation via the training camp greatly contributed to their wins," he said. Lapena is encouraging all participants to do their best in their respective skills areas and hopes to see them in the competition in Shanghai. TESDA, with the help of TESDA technology institutions (TTIs), technical vocational institutions (TVIs), and industries, will conduct a training camp for the national winners. National winners will also be sent to the industries as part of their training that include leadership and motivational training and teambuilding. "This will run for about eight months to prepare the competitor mentally and physically with the help of their experts and other trainers," Lapena said. Meanwhile, experts from TESDA, TTIs, TVIs, and private experts invited per skills area, will serve as judges during the national competition. (PNA) }