Jocelyn Perez of Paolbo, Calabanaga was among the scholars who took the technical course in Bread Making under the Ka Fuerte Skills Training Program that is in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). As a mother who is also looking for ways to have other means of livelihood amid the pandemic, she decided to take the said the course that she knows would own new doors of opportunity and business venture in this trying times.
“Magayunon po an oportunidad na arog kaini ta nakanuod po ako nin basic techniques sa paggibo nin tinapay asin nakapag-take man ako nin assessment sa TESDA kaya dakulaon na tabang po ining mga nanudan mi igdi. Sako po personally, dakulang tabang si gabos na nanudan ko. Nakakatabang siya bako lang para sako kundi para man sa mga kabarangay ko sa Paolbo ta gusto ko man ibahagi si mga nanudan ko,” shared Jocelyn who was grateful to be part of the said program and would love to share her learnings from the training to the people in their barangay.
The Ka Fuerte Skills Training is a program of the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur that not only provides access to free technical or vocational courses, but also provides an opportunity and solution to issues of unemployment and loss of livelihood in the province because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With the access to new knowledge and honing new technical skills, the scholars become competent skilled workers who can engage in entrepreneurship, too.
After receiving her allowance, Jocelyn also shared some of her plans in the future, “Ini pong allowance na naresibe mi, itatago ko po muna yan pang puhunan habang hinahalat an samuyang starter tool kit para po maka-produce kami nin tinapay na gigibuhun ming kabuhayan.”
Through TESDA’s Special Training for Employment program (STEP), scholars like Jocelyn are also entitled to benefits like daily allowances and starter tool kits for their free training. The starter tool kits for Bread Making usually costs up to P10,000, which include an electric oven, measuring cups, measuring urn, mixing bowl, digital weighing scale, dough cutter, boat tart molder, pastry blender, muffin pan, rubber scraper, flour sifter, wire whisk, and measuring spoon.
Before taking the free training course in Bread Making, Jocelyn was part of the women’s organization in Calabanga whose group also received high-speed sewing machines from the Provincial Government last 2017. According to her, these sewing machines enabled their organization to have their own livelihood project that helped them earn for a living and provide food on the table. They are sewing different types of clothes, curtains, doormats, bedsheets, and pillowcases which they also sell in the market.
“Puon po kan nag-pandemic, nagkaigwa man po kami nin kabuhayan sa pamamagitan ng pagtatahi. Dakula po an samuyang pasasalamat ta natawanan kami nin high speed sewing machine sa organisasyon nin mga kababaihan sa Calabanga. Kan 2016 po na-grant si samuyang request na mga makina na sa ngunyan nagagamit mi asin nagin dakulang tabang samuya na pangkabuhayan.” She also said.
Now that she was able to pass her assessment conducted by TESDA, she is more determined in venturing to this new opportunity for livelihood through bread making aside from dressmaking and planting strawberries. She furthered, “Obheto ko na makagibo nin iba’t ibang klaseng tinapay, na maka-create nin sadiring timpala nin tinapay. Magagamit ko po si gabos kong naadalan sa training asin si puhunan na nakua ko, pupuonan ko nin kadikit.”
Although she already expected the challenges waiting new business ventures, especially when it comes to sustaining it and thriving in the market, she is optimistic that this opportunity will help her survive. “Ipapalago ko ito tanganing makatao man ako nin marhay na ehemplo na bako sanang simpleng bagay si nanudan mi kundi dakulang tabang siya sa pangkabuhay mi. Karagdagan po ining pag break making ko para maka survive pa kita sa igwa o sa mayong pandemic,” she said.
Like Jocelyn, many are struggling to make ends meet because of the pandemic, but she is living proof that there is hope for progress through investment in new knowledge and new skills. The Provincial Government of Camarines Sur continues to further reach out to its constituents like Jocelyn to bring hope and to commit in further improving the lives of Camarinenses through the Ka Fuerte Skills Training Program.
