Aligning itself with the needs of the industry.
At the recent National Tech-Voc Summit, where leaders from the government and private sectors gathered in Quezon City, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced a major shift in the Senior High School (SHS) technical-vocational program.
From its current “static curriculum,” it will be shifting to a more dynamic and data-driven model, which will be aligned with actual and current industry needs.
As per Asec. Janir Datukan, who represented Sec. Sonny Angara, expressed: “Kung gusto nating may tunay na kinabukasan ang mga mag-aaral, kailangang nakabatay ang itinuturo natin sa aktuwal na pangangailangan ng industriya, ngayon at sa hinaharap. Hindi sapat na may trabaho lang—mahalaga kung may pag-angat, may kasanayan, at may disenteng kita.”
During the summit, there was also a plenary session on expanding national workforce development under the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Law.
It was highlighted there how active participation by companies can accelerate curriculum updates, enhance the quality of training, and expand quality work immersion for students.
With a deeper involvement of the industry in the design and implementation of training, the EBET framework is seen to help position tech-voc education as a direct path to productive employment.
Another plenary session on data-driven workforce planning saw leaders from the private sector come together to discuss key signals from the labor market that can serve as a basis for faster curriculum adjustments, especially in sectors affected by automation, digitalization, and changes in global demand.
Moreover, they also showed how timely data can guide the skills that are needed and where to focus training investments.
DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD) Director Peter Marc Magsalin emphasized the important role of continuous engagement with industry in strengthening students’ transition from school to work.
“We must recognize that industry participation is the only way to strengthen the pipeline of school-to-work transition. By aligning our sectoral expertise with global labor trends, we ensure our curriculum remains responsive to the future of work,” he said.
He also encouraged partners to be open to discussing implementation challenges. “It is in being honest about our bottlenecks that we find our most innovative solutions. Beyond the data and policies, it is the camaraderie and collaboration formed in this room that will matter most. We are not just colleagues, we are fellow champions and advocates of TVET.”
The summit brought together education leaders, industry partners, and training institutions to discuss five main topics: expanding workforce preparation through the EBET Law; adapting education to global labor trends and the future of work; using data from the private sector to guide curriculum and career readiness; strengthening industry immersion in Senior High Schools; and learning best practices from public and private tech-voc institutions.
According to DepEd, the outcomes of the summit will serve as a basis for continued curriculum updates, enhancement of work immersion standards, and deeper engagement with industry and training institutions.
