PUERTO PRINCESA CITY–Puerto Princesa School of Arts and Trade or PPSAT is offering free language training in its Language Skills Institute to Filipino workers providing proficiency not just in skills but communication as well.

The Language Skills Institute (LSI) established by Technical Education & Skills Development Authority or TESDA nationwide administers the training to competent and qualified Filipinos intending to work locally and overseas.

Launched in 2008, the PPSAT- LSI began with 25 students enrolled in Korean Language and Culture Course with an instructor from the Korean Overseas International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Since then, it has graduated 633 students now employed abroad or working in tourism-related establishments in the city and province.

In an interview with Dr. Clarita Posadas, PPSAT Vocational School Administrator she said that through the LSI Palaweños especially those bound abroad will be more competitive globally and confident knowing the basic language of the country of destination.

“As much as possible, we want our workers to be not only job-ready but also language-ready particularly what is required in the workplace,” said Posadas.

PPSAT offers basic language skills training in Korean, Japanese, Arabic and English proficiency course for call center agents and English-speaking bound workers. It has plans to expand the language courses to include Chinese and Spanish.

Lyle Coruña, a member of the local media, was one of the first of the LSI graduates in Korean basic language in 2008. Knowledge of the language is beneficial for him in his job as a media man covering many events and essentially in his disc jockeying job as well.

“It was because of my knowledge of other languages apart from English that gave me advantage in winning the international DJ competition last year”, said Coruña.

Ren Rodriguez, the class valedictorian of Coruña’s batch is now commissioned by PPSAT in teaching Basic Korean and Culture Course.

Requirements for entry in any language course include photocopies of birth certificate and college transcript of records, and three 1×1 ID pictures.
Those enrolled in any language course will have to complete 100 hours for a TESDA certification. For a five-week period, the student will have to attend four hours of intensive lessons everyday.

LSI is now accepting enrollees for basic Japanese language course. Interested parties may visit the PPSAT in Sta. Monica and look for Ms. Emelia Cinco.