What is TESDA Occupation Qualification and Certification System or TOQCS?

      It is a process of determining the qualification level and certification level of a person based on competency assessment.

Under the TOQCS framework, qualifications issued in the TVET sector are based on achieving competency standards relevant to the needs of the industry. Competencies within a specific level of qualification are small units of work that can merit a person/worker a job after completion. Therefore, completion of a certain competency would assure the industry that a person/worker can perform a specific task/work.

Take-off point or basis of all qualification and certification activities:

National Occupational Skills Standard -  sets   the   minimum requirements of  knowledge, skills and work values for a specific occupation.

Competency Assessment -  an instrument consisting of written and practical tests designed to measure the person’s knowledge and skills based on the corresponding occupational skills standard.

The TOQCS is implemented through:

Public assessment and certification

This shall cater to the needs of new graduates of tech-voc schools, and TESDA training programs, small-shop workers, and ordinary skilled laborers or job seekers who want to be assessed and certified.

This project component shall also serve the needs of small and medium firms who would want to make use of the assessment and certification scheme for their own HRD program.  Under this component, the program shall use existing TESDA standards and competency assessments (which shall be reviewed and revalidated) and shall be implemented through the existing assessment structures of TESDA.

This is a process of granting civil service eligibility to government skilled employees (trades and crafts group) and those seeking entrance into the service.  The process involves trade testing and issuance of skills certificates to those who passed the test administered by TESDA. These skills certificates are given equivalent eligibilities by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) appropriate for Category I positions in the government service.

What is skills certification?

      It is a process of evaluating/assessing the country’s skilled workers if they have the knowledge and ability to perform the tasks which relate to such job/occupation.

Who benefits from skills certification?

For the consumer

Better services
Better products

For the workers:

Recognition of skill
Sense of pride in self and work

For the government and employers the skills standards can serve as an objective basis for:

Hiring and promotion
Salary scale determination
Incentives and other benefits
Collective bargaining agreement

Certifiable occupations

      Information on certifiable occupations can be obtained from TESDA Regional Office c/o the Regional Operations Division, or any of its provincial offices and training centers.

Who may apply for competency assessment?

      A person qualified to take the competency assessment is one who has the experience and/or undergone relevant training in the trade area for which the competency assessment is applied for.

Graduates of vocational/technical courses from institutions outside TESDA may avail of the competency assessment upon meeting the requirements.

What are the requirements needed?

• Two (2) copies of application form properly filled and signed
• Two (2) I.D. pictures (2” x 2”) with the name of the examinee written at the back, colored and with plain white background
• Payment of Competency Assessment Fee
• One (1) certified photocopy of Diploma and/or Certificate of Training related to the trade area being applied
• One (1) copy of test-related employment certification duly signed by the employer (for employed worker) 

Where to apply?

      All qualified applicants may apply to any TESDA Provincial Office or Training Center. 

Assessment Schedule

      The examinee shall be notified of his assessment schedule, which shall be reflected in his admission slip, indicating the following data:

• Name
• Trade Area
• Class/Level
• Test Schedule
• Test Venue
• Time of Testing

What to bring on the day of the assessment

• Ballpen or pencil
• Appropriate working clothes 
• Necessary tools/materials 
• Admission slip

Important reminders

• Only registered candidates for the test as reflected in the prepared attendance sheet shall be admitted. 
• Those who fail to appear shall be marked “absent” and may be re-scheduled for assessment upon proper application. 
• Appropriate working clothes and shoes should be worn by the examinee during the skills assessment.
• Proper decorum must be observed. Smoking and eating are not allowed within the assessment area while the assessment is in progress. Creating distracting noise shall be avoided by everyone.
• No admission slip, no test.

Release of results

• Official results shall be released ten (10) working days after the conduct of the competency assessment.
• The list of passers shall be posted by respective provincial offices for the information of those concerned.

Requirements for the issuance of certificates to passers

• Submission of Applicant’s Information Sheet with 2” x 2” I.D. picture (I.D. picture should be colored with plain white background)
• Payment of Certification Fee

Issuance of certificates

TESDA shall prepare one national certificate for every successful examinee with a validity period of three (3) years, signed by TESDA Director General and countersigned by the Executive Director of the Skills Standard and Certification Office (SSCO) of TESDA. A national certificate is a written testimonial, which is authenticated and issued to a worker who passed the competency assessment indicating the trade, and the level of the skill possessed.

Where the test requirements of successful candidates are incomplete or not in order, the issuance of the national certificate shall be held in abeyance pending the completion of the requirements.