Regional Training Center - Baguio Milestones

      The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority – Cordillera Administrative Region (TESDA-CAR) was established within the Baguio City Export Processing Zone by virtue of a deed of usufruct issued by Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) in 1989. This was made possible because of the plan of the TESDA-CAR to put up a Regional Training Center that will cater to the demand for skilled manpower by the various industries at the Baguio City Export Processing Zone.

           On March 5 1998, the Regional Skills Development Center CAR (now Regional Training Center Baguio) was established as separate division from TESDA-CAR organization through an order of then Regional Director Hilario P. Martinez.

       The Center started with four course programs namely, automotive, construction, building wiring installation and machining. It was manned by six (6) staff of whom four (4) were trainers and two (2) performed administrative support functions.

        At an early stage of its development, the Center pursued its mandate through building alliance with institutional partners, particularly companies within PEZA such as Moog Controls Corporation. The company donated CNC Machines, other training equipment, and supplies and materials, and opened its door for the in-plant training of trainees.

        Moreover, in March 1999, the Center, TESDA-CAR and the Local Government of Baguio signed a memorandum of agreement allotting three hundred ninety thousand (390,000.00) annually for the improvement and expansion of the Center.  In August of the same year, the Center was granted the approval of eight plantilla positions.

           In October 2001, the Regional Training Center was renamed Cordillera Skills Development Center (CSDC), that already bears the name of the region to differentiate it from the other RTCs in the Country.

           In 2002, the CSDC became a beneficiary of the two foreign projects, namely; the Expanded Dual Education and Training Project (EDETP) and Center of Excellence in Modern Technology (CEMMT) that provided the necessary equipment on machining. In the same year, a co-management arrangement was launched with the following groups; 1.) Machining Technology with metal working Industry Association of the Philippines (MIAP); 2.) Welding technology with the Philippine Institute of Technology (PICE); and 3) Electro-Mechanical Technology with Integrated Electrical Engineers.

       In 2004, the infrastructure component of the EDETP was completed. Following the completion of the infrastructure component of the CEMMT, both projects were inaugurated in April 2005.

        On September 14, 2005, RTC-Baguio was accredited as FESTO Authorized and Certified Training Center for Industrial Automation and Mechatronics by FESTO Didatic Philippines, following the turnover of donation of equipment to be utilized for these trainings.

        In January 2011, RTC-Baguio was recognized with a Bronze Award by the Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC) after having successfully completed the rigorous process of accreditation.

          In October 2017, the RTC-Baguio was given distinction with the TESDA 2-STAR Award for its Machining NC II program, a testament to the quality of training that the center provides.

        The Center currently offers National Certificate programs in the automotive, construction, electronics, and metals and engineering sectors, with ongoing efforts to offer diploma programs in mechanical engineering technology and industrial electrical engineering technology.#

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