by Gervacio C. Dauz, Jr.

Butuan City (November 19) -- Catherine R. Pimentel, 25 years of age, single and a resident both of this city and Cagayan de Oro City, woke up early this day, prepared herself, and went straight way to the nearest ProSpeak Pre-assessment Center located at the TESDA Agusan del Norte Provincial Office, Capitol Compound in order to undergo an assessment.

Unexpectedly, she became the 1st test taker in a throng of applicants that flooded the TESDA Office. Even then, she's expectant and hopeful in hurdling said assessment. Her aim actually in passing the exam is for her to get one free coupon for her to be able to ride the maiden "English Proficiency Training" voyage slated at the Language Skills Institute (LSI) of the Northern Mindanao School of Fisheries in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte starting November 19, 2007.

Fortunately, her diligence paid off because she learned a few minutes after she took the exam that she passed with flying colors and is therefore eligible to be in the 1st batch of this scholarship program sponsored by TESDA in Caraga Region.

Having ascertained that, she has now become expectant that the short-term but rigid training to be held at the LSI would boost her self-confidence in speaking and intoning the English language. It would likewise increase her viability of being admitted once again in Germany as a worker.

As gathered from TESDA Agusan del Norte OIC-Provincial Director Leo V. Velez, the skill training, which is good for a total training time of 100 hours, will run for five weeks, from Monday to Friday at four hours per day.

Obviously, Ms. Pimentel is only one of those who are determined to pass the ProSpeak Pre-assessment exam and clinched a berth in the limited scholarship slots, numbering about 25, for the 1st batch on a first come first served basis only.

Hence, this English Proficiency Training is actually geared for those who aspire as call center agents for local employment; or for those who already have Employment Contract and are ready for deployment in English-speaking countries; or for those prospective TESDA-certified applicants who shall be employed and shall be practicing abroad - e.g. Caregivers, Butchers, Welders, etc.

In terms of credibility factor, said training would be using the Web-based Sutherland English Language Training Program with face-to-face training approach, using a one-to-one ratio of trainee vis-à-vis the equipment.

The Prospeak Pre-assessment on the other hand is a skills assessment with four categories such as sentence mastery, vocabulary, fluency, and pronunciation using international standards, under license from the Ordinate Corporation in USA.