Sa atin, kapag sinabi mong graduate ka ng Vocational School - ano ang reaction ng mga tao? Ahh Vocational School. Okey - na parang walang kwenta yung pinag-aralan mo. As in Hindi ka College Graduate? Walang kang University Diploma.

Dito sa Thailand, nagkakalat ang Vocational Schools - at hindi lang secretarial, or seamanship. Dito sa Thailand, mayroong baking school, electrician, information tech, computer tech (parang AMA?), refrigeration, metal working at sarisaring klase ng blue-collar jobs.

Pag kinompara ang numero ng Thai at Pinoy na walang trabaho, parang napakaliit ng numero ng Thai na jobless. Sa palagay ko ay mis-directed ang ating educational system and dapat tong baguhin. Kung mag-eexport tayo ng skilled labor, eh dapat lang nating itrain sila sa skill na kinakailangan. Sayang naman ang college graduate na mag-tatrabaho lang as a DH.

In our province, technical and vocational schools are excelling. Provincial TESDA has a year round skills training for interested ones. I definitely agree that there's no wrong in acquiring a vocational course.  But it is part of the Filipino culture to send children to get a college diploma no matter what sacrifices the parents will do. There's nothing wrong with this as long as we are able to maximize what we have received. In cases, that  professionals took dh works outside the country, well that's their choice.

In Thailand, yes I agree, that whatever jobs bring them income is ok. I have interviewed some noodle vendors, they are gaining about 500++ baht a day, 4pm-11pm, so if we compute it, they receive more than those normal professionals.

For me, it would be better that if you are a vocational course grad try to get a college diploma, too. Or if you are a college degree holder, try to get a vocational course, too. To be a multi-skilled person helps.

I think it is time to revive this thread. Thanks nga pala Ro_se for your reply.

Mor 3 students that are finishing this school term are now really tense about thinking which way they will go - Vocational school or Regular school for Mor 4 to 6.  Thing is that if students opt to enter vocational school, it does not exclude them from enrolling into college at the end of their term (as long as they make the grade) or have enough money.

At the end of Vocational school, they can immediately start working and there is a lot of work for these graduates. No need to go abroad - like so many college graduates that end up working as DH in Hong Kong or Singapore.

If you compare a bank teller and a noodle vendor, the bank teller might have a more glamorous job - but the noodle vendor has more money to spend at the end of the day.

eto ka, nag-apply ako sa TESDA [in Taguig] about 2 years ago to upgrade my computer skills. aba ayaw yata ako tanggapin. bakit ganun daw ang BG ko, nag kolehiyo pero pumunta sa technical skills. huh? natawa nalang ako dahil parang reverse snobbery na ngayon sa Pinas, di ka sikat kapag wala kang trade skills. hehehe!

After Mathayom 3, Thai students are informed of their options and they are brutally frank about it. They tell students that if they think they don't have the brain or financial capacity to go to higher Mathayom (4 to 6), they have the option of going into a vocational or technical school. If so, they will acquire skills that would allow them to immediately earn income (e.g. as an electrician, computer tech, airconditionl maintenance staff) as a blue collar worker.

There does not seem to be as much snobbery by people that go to college against people that opt to go to the vocational and technical path. Lucky for Thais.

I just hope that Pinoys' opinion with regards to voc-tech skills change for the better.