Anticipating a worldwide construction boom, an overseas employment organization is batting for the establishment of more technical skills training centers so that Filipinos can fill the demand for blue-collar workers.

“We don’t need white-collar jobs. We need to go back to skills training. Mas matagal na kakailanganin ang skilled worker,” Victor Fernandez, president of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

The big demand for blue-collar workers will initially be generated by Guam as more US personnel transfer from US bases in Okinawa to the unincorporated US territory.

On June 13, PASEI and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the setting up of a pilot training program for skilled workers who will be sent to Guam.

Some 23,699 United States Marines, their families and civilian personnel will be moving from Okinawa, Japan to Guam from 2012 to 2014.

The troop movement, the largest since the Vietnam war, would require a major construction of a naval base, which will start in 2009.

The US and Japan have agreed to spend at least $15 billion for the major military construction project. (See related story: OKINAWA-GUAM TROOP MIGRATION GROWS TO 23,699 http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport//2008/May/05-15-01.htm)

Rogelio Peyuan, TESDA’s deputy director-general for field operations, said hundreds of job items will be available for the Guam construction projects, including welders, pipefitters, carpenters, masons, finishing electricians, engineers and more jobs that require skilled workers.

The MOA said the Guam Contractors Association has informed the Philippine government and PASEI that around 50,000 construction workers will be needed for three to five years.

It said PASEI was specifically contacted by the Guam Economic Development and Commerce Authority to “prepare for this development.”

Filipino preference
The Department of Trade and Industry’s Philippine Business Report (PBR) May 2008 issue said Mayor Paul McDonald of Agana, Guam wants skilled Filipino workers to fill majority of the job openings.

The PBR, which is published monthly by the trade department, quoted McDonald as having said: “Communication and our shared culture are practical reasons why we prefer Filipino workers over other nationalities.”

McDonald also said that Filipinos are “hardworking, skillfull, and most importantly, proficient in the English language.”

Aside from the only three-hour plane ride from Manila, Guam is also home to thousands of Filipino migrants. Around 26 percent of the island’s inhabitants are reportedly of Filipino descent.

Peyuan said the first trainings will be conducted at the TESDA-Taguig compound before the end of this month.

The first trainees, he said, will come from Iloilo since the province’s 2nd District Rep. Judy Syjuco promised to fund the initial training.

The lawmaker is the wife of TESDA Director-General Augusto Syjuco.

The first batch will also work as OJTs in construction projects in the province, which will be financed through the congresswoman’s pork barrel.

Aside from the skills training, Peyuan said PASEI has also requested TESDA to teach workers how to speak “work-related” English.

Peyuan said Filipinos have no problem graduating from TESDA’s language trainings, especially in English.

“Our language trainees have a very good batting average. They usually finish the course,” he said.

Fernandez said trained Filipino workers will be sent to Guam in late 2008 or in 2009.

Worldwide construction boom
Fernandez said the construction boom in Guam is just the tip of the iceberg.

He said more Filipino workers may land jobs in Canada, which will conduct major construction projects for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Saudi Arabia will also need thousands of skilled workers for its plan to build four new urban centers, Peyuan said.

Aside from Saudi Arabia, several other countries in the Middle East will need skilled workers, Fernandez said.

Among the Middle East countries that have started major construction projects are the United Arab Emirates, Doha in Qatar, and Bahrain, he said.

Europe and other Asian countries have also opened up job offers for skilled workers, particularly those in construction work, for major infrastructure projects that will start next year.

Pork barrel funds
Aside from Rep. Syjuco, Fernandez said three other congressmen have verbally promised to put up training centers in their regions.

A week after the House of Representatives resumed session in June, the PASEI invited congressmen to a meeting to deliver the good news about the labor market opportunities and the need for more training centers.

“Some congressmen were in America, and they were not aware of the meeting called by PASEI,” Fernandez said.

He said congressmen sent their chiefs-of-staff instead for the meeting, and 43 of them made commitments to the program.

Fernandez said the PASEI is still convincing other congressmen to set up training centers for the skills preparation program, “if they really want to help their constituents.”

The PASEI president said setting up training centers will help congressmen who want to get re-elected or have plans to seek higher office in the 2010 national elections.

Instead of spending their pork barrel for waiting shed or road constructions, Fernandez said congressmen should just fund the trainings.

“The graduates [of the skills trainings] can do the construction of the waiting shed, classrooms so they can have OJT (on-the-job trainings) at the same time,” Fernandez said.

He is confident that several congressmen will support PASEI’s vision.

“They can train their constituents, and PASEI will go to their districts and recruit people,” he added.

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