The Ladder to Success

Education is a very important aspect in every Filipino’s life. Ever since our parents believe that education is the only wealth they can give to us and the first weapon we can possess to face the real battlefield of life. Yes, true! I agree! Some of us are just aware of the traditional college degree programs that they think is there gateway to succeed and have a good job. But in fact, there are many alternative learning system that been made for us to have education and training that can fit us to a particular job.

Ladderized education is one of an alternative learning system. It is a new system of education in the Philippines. It refers to all education and training mechanisms that allow students and workers progression between technical vocational education (TVET) and higher education (HE). It also allows a student to acquire skills and competencies that entitle him to a national certificate and enable him to land a job even before finishing college and opens opportunities for career and educational advancement to students and workers.

This ladderization opens pathways of opportunities for career and educational progression of students and workers. Also, it intends to create a seamless and borderless education and training system that allows mobility in terms of flexible entry and exit into the educational system. This ladderized program is a unified national qualification framework that establishes equivalency pathways and access ramps for easier transition and progression between technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education (HE). (Source: Executive Order No. 358, “To Institutionalize a Ladderized Interface between Technical-Vocational Education (TVET) and Higher Education (HE)” signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on September 15, 2004.)

The following are the priority disciplines under ladderized education program: Agriculture and Fisheries; Health and Medical Services; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); Maritime; Tourism / Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM); Criminology; Education and Engineering. And it’s been stated that the list of priority disciplines shall be expanded in the future based on the needs and the recommendation of the Technical Panels on Ladderization. And as 2008 there are 671 colleges and universities offering the ladderized education program all over the Philippines.

People just have to be aware that there are existing programs like this in our country that can be an empowering tool that can gives alternatives to many patrons on when to enter and exit in this educational ladder. And, most of all this creates job platforms at every exit and offers the student an opportunity to get a job and earn money to enter again in the educational ladder in order to achieved another skill.

It is not important what bachelor degree, technical course, vocational course and how short or long the time frame is, what important is you have a greater value of education and training that can make you fit for a greater job.

About  the author :

Robbie Christine R. Bathan. She is currently taking up her masteral degree MSEE major in Industrial Engineering at Rizal Technological University, Mandaluyong. She is a faculty member in Industrial Engineering Department at Batangas State University.