Trade and Industry Updates: Bohol

DTI BOHOL PUSHING CVSCAFT-TCC AS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICE (BDS) PROVIDER

A major concern of the Gifts, Toys, and Houseware sector is the growing shortage of product designers due to the exodus of local designers to foreign countries. Considering this growing concern, DTI Bohol is looking into the possibility of developing a business development service (BDS) provider that will develop designers to minimize the shortage.

The Central Visayas State College of Agriculture, Forestry and Technology Tagbilaran City Campus (CVSCAFT-TCC), one of the extension campuses of CVSCAFT, has been providing a steady supply of skilled workers to industries since 1907. The Department of Trade and Industry sees the potential of the institution as BDS provider. Recently, the Department of Trade and Industry linked the college to the Cebu gifts, toys and houseware sector through the GTH Foundation CVSCAFT-TCC and GTH Foundation. They will work together to design an academic program that will produce good designers who have the passion to concretize new ideas into marketable objects using existing/available materials and skills of workers.

The proposed BS Industrial Design will be a four year program with an on-the-job components that will expose students to actual design work in the industry. It will be offered starting school year 2008-2009 under the Department of Industrial Technology in coordination with the Department of Architecture.

CVSCAFT-TCC foresees that this new industrial design program will become one of its most in demand courses because of the excellent opportunities available to its graduates. Potential markets for new designers are export-oriented industries in the region, such as GTH, furniture and fashion accessories. The 200 manufacturer-exporter firms of the GTH sector in the region will be the initial market for the graduates of the new program. In particular, Cebu GTH Foundation, with a current membership of 90 firms, has committed to hire all qualified graduates of the program.

In coordination with DTI-Bohol and DTI-Region 7, CVSCAFT-TCC and GTHF will conduct a series of meetings for the drafting and signing of the memorandum of agreement to formalize their partnership in the development and implementation of proposed BS Industrial Design Program. The MOA shall incorporate the support of GTHF, which would include the securing commitment of its members to hire all qualified graduates of the program, arranging OJT of students with member firms, facilitating plant visits of students and faculty to GTH workshops and display centers, and providing lecturers on GTH product design and development upon request.

CVSCAFT-TCC will request GTZ to provide financial support and the services of an education specialist (curriculum consultant) for its curriculum development activity. It shall also request GTZ to provide an industrial design or product design expert who will serve as consultant during the initial year of implementation and as trainer of faculty members of the new program and funding support for faculty/staff development.

This week, the CVSCAFT-TCC presented the curriculum in a meeting at the DTI Bohol Conference Room. This will be further referred to experts in Manila as the team will go on a benchmarking activity next month. (ends)

posted by dtibohol @ 11:52 AM