By Brian Jules Campued
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomes skilled Filipinos who want to work in Germany, saying they could seize opportunities in the labor market as legislations were recently passed in the European country to provide easier entry of foreign workers.
Scholz expressed hope that the immigration law reforms introduced in Germany in 2023 will enhance and improve their partnership with the Philippines in the labor sector, an area of cooperation he seeks to come into fruition.
“I believe it to be the probably the most advanced and modern legislation in that regard. We know that our prosperity and growth depend on professional workers from outside and we want to create favorable conditions here,” the Chancellor said in a joint press conference with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Berlin on Tuesday.
According to Malacañang, the Philippines and Germany signed the renewal of the “Cooperation Program” between the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) that aims to upskill and reskill Filipino workers in the fields of digitalization and green economy.
Marcos said both countries recognized the contribution of Filipino health care workers and other overseas Filipino workers to the economy of Germany.
“Noting Germany’s interest in expanded labor cooperation to include other Filipino skilled workers and professionals, the Philippines reaffirms our commitment to ensure the protection of the rights and welfare of Filipinos around the world,” he added.
TESDA and BIBB will implement measures for capacity building such as conducting thematic visits yearly, with both agencies providing free use of workplace and technical facilities.
Other measures include exchange on policy research and knowledge management, support evaluation for apprenticeship and dual training systems programs, as well as support evaluation and improvement of the Study on the Employment of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Graduates.
There will also be exchanges between the Philippine Regional Innovation Centres (RIC) and German Center of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) to demonstrate how digital learning are embedded in the newly founded 17 RIC and CoVE.
There will also be joint work within the Bridging Innovation and Learning in TVET (BILT) Project, a UNESCO-UNEVOC initiative that implements long-term bridging through peer learning and knowledge exchange with defined regional networks between Europe and the Asia Pacific.
“The BILT initiative provides TVET stakeholders with a platform for policy learning and peer learning with BILT supporting the TVET community to address current challenges in TVET systems, which arise due to technological, social, environmental, and workplace changes,” Malacañang said.
Additionally, a Joint International Roadshow digital media in TVET will also be done to systematize examples of good practice to structure international discourse and the use of digital applications while several activities such as bridging, innovation, and learning activities will be conducted until 2025.
Marcos noted that in order to transform the economy of the Philippines, the country will need to train its workforce in the digital space and high-technology jobs which Germany can offer.
He also expressed hope that the initiative will be a continuing effort, saying that “it will be an advantage for the Philippines because our workforce will be better trained, and it will be an advantage to Germany because we now have a workforce that can contribute to the German economy as well.” – avds
