LSDEC Company Profile

LIVELIHOOD SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT CENTER (LSDEC), is a technical skills training facility that is operated, maintained and managed by the Local Government Unit of Dipolog City and created under ORDINANCE 07-200, which was enacted on December 26 2007. The venture was spearheaded by Honorable Mayor Evelyn T. Uy, who heeded the call for a training center that is streamlined around the livelihood skills that are suited for Dipolog City and its residents.

As the Livelihood Center is subsidized by the Local Government of Dipolog City, it has made its primary purpose to aid the residents of Dipolog City, especially those who belong to the lower stratum of the socio-economic spectrum, and is geared toward the development and promotion of the livelihood skills to ensure economic sufficiency and general well-being of its residents. Thus, the establishment of LSDEC was grounded on the premise mandated by the Philippine Constitution that “the State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free from people from poverty.”

In its unwavering determination to upgrade and enhance the livelihood skills of Dipolognons, The Livelihood Center is open to all interested individuals, especially those who are out-of-school, who want to acquire technical skills. In turn, LSDEC aspires to instill in them the value of efficiency, integrity, cooperation, and social responsibility.

With the assistance of partner Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), LSDEC strives to carry out its mission that centers on the following objectives:

• To develop and enhance employable skills 
• To provide a place for food processing 
• To provide a bank of updated information about different skills that are in demand 
• To assist in the marketing of products produced by the trainees as well as the employment of skilled trainees.

Apart from the recommended curricula by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), supplemental modules on value formation are also designed to promote holistic development. Programs that are offered by LSDEC are divided into two categorizations, to wit:

A.      Regular Programs (with TESDA training regulations):

• Carpentry 
• Masonry 
• Plumbing 
• Bartending
• Household Services 
• Commercial Cooking 
• Building Wiring Installation 
• Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) 
• Heavy Equipment Operation 
• Bulldozer, Motor Grader, and Wheel Loader

B.      Special Programs (with partner NGO’s, DOLE, DTI, and TESDA):

• Food Processing 
• Cassava Chips Making
• Sardines Making
• Dried Mango and Puree Processing
• Meat Longganisa and Tocino Making
• Dried Fish Processing
• Mango and Calamansi Nectar Processing
• Fish Ball and Squid Ball Making
• Mango Jam Puree Processing
• Peanut Butter Making
• Fish Silage / Fish Making
 

• Basic Management Training 
• DTI-ZN, Child Fund / ZN Federation of Parents Association

Currently, LSDEC sits on a ?-hectare property, at the site formerly known as the Galas Satellite Market. The site has 2 classrooms to accommodate the programs the agency offers. Other facilities include one work area for Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Basic Wiring Installation (BVI), Plumbing, Household Services, and Commercial Cooking. One facility is also allocated for Food Processing, while another one is currently under construction which will be used as a work area for Hard Trade (e.g. Metal Craft). Two supply rooms are housed in the Administrative Building. The Livelihood Center is equipped with tools and equipment required by TESDA and has 18 specialized trainers: 11 on-site trainers, 6 on-call, and one guest trainer.

LSDEC is at the forefront on the development of the livelihood skills of the residents of Dipolog City and stands firm in its commitment in the production of highly-skilled individuals who can compete in the international stage. In 2010, the agency has posted an 85.78% graduation rate as 875 trainees completed their respective programs’ requirements out of 1,020 enrollees. And true to its promise, 28 graduates are now employed in different parts of Asia, North America, and Australia.

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has been supportive in the endeavors taken by LSDEC as it has aided the Center in the implementation of training programs. On the other hand, the Second District of Zamboanga del Norte, headed by Honorable Congressman Rosendo Labadlabad, was also instrumental in increasing the revenue of the training center in 2010 since many qualifications and courses with corresponding training fees, which are supported by the scholarship programs, were channeled to LSDEC.

Linkages are an integral part in LSDEC’s thrust in their mission for solid service delivery. Active partnerships have been forged between the Livelihood Center and national and international agencies as well as the vigorous involvement of the local community, especially with the introduction of the concept of the Training Map. These organizations are at the frontlines with LSDEC in realizing the Livelihood Center’s main objectives. 

• Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 
• Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 
• Department of Science and Development (DOST) 
• Regional Fisheries Livelihood Program of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 
• Zamboanga del Norte Federation of Parents’ Association (ZNFEPA) 
• Barangay Councils of Dipolog City

In the same token, the Livelihood Center, under the leadership of Mrs. Angelita Collyer, is also focused on the advancement of its trainers, and office and support staff as well. Believing that the workers are the driving force in the success of any organization, a series of modular topics that are scheduled quarterly are prepared for staff development to address the requirement for a service-oriented and quality-focused personnel. In 2010, the LSDEC workforce was able to attend a seminar-workshop on Productivity and Good Housekeeping Practices conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry.

With the existence of other technology and livelihood skills training institutions in Dipolog City, LSDEC strives to become the benchmark in livelihood skills training. Accordingly, the Center intends to strengthen its linkages with its present partnerships, and at the same time, to expand their network in order to hasten the realization of its aims to develop the livelihood skills of the people of Dipolog City, and enhance the quality of life of its constituents.