Building The Future
By: Earle Vann E. Ramos

Education has always been necessary in the holistic development of a person. Without it, life will be extra complicated and challenging for a person especially in the modern world where life-based learning and teaching are essential.

Being a Technology and Livelihood Education teacher, I have always believed that giving life-based skills and erudition is vital in this fast-changing world. The wisdom and skills acquired by the millennial learners should be usable and practical in order for them to cope up with the demands and needs of the modern times. This can be achieved with the incorporation of the teachings and learnings that are based on the interests and innate talents of students.

For ten years now, I have been teaching practical livelihood and technological specializations such as masonry and carpentry among others. These are two of the specializations that spark the desires and hone the skills of students with regard to their area of choice. It has made me open to bring out the best in each student in terms of learning more for it is easier for them to absorb the lessons because the topics are close to their hearts.

MASONRY

Technically defined as the building of structures from individual units, which are often laid in and bound together by mortar, this term is also referred to as a highly durable form of construction. This specialization was included by the Department of Education (DepEd) in the K-12 Program in order to open the field to people who are interested in building constructions. This could easily lead them to become future skilled masons and/or engineers toughened by time as they started out early their training for this concentration.

Economically speaking, a mason’s professional fee by the hour ranges from Php 50.00 – Php 700.00, depending on the skill, capability and work attitude of the person, as well as in the scope and scale of the project.

CARPENTRY

On the other hand, carpentry is known as the skilled trade and craft in which the primary work is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, bridges, formworks, etc.. In this specialization, students are taught to use and apply the traditional and modern way of doing the works related to it. Carpentry is a widely in-demand form of aptitude as infrastructures and home building are always available in the country.

According to the Bureau of Local Employment, a carpenter is paid between Php 450.00 – Php 600.00, depending on their skills. Overseas, such as Canada and U.S.A., the average monthly salary for a carpenter is $ 3,083.00 or around Php 154,150.00.

Teaching these life-based skills, we are also giving them a chance to earn more as working individuals in the future. This would make them productive and valuable members of the citizenry based on what they learned from their basic education.

In the long run, the honing of abilities and enhancement of innate skills of students lie in the capability of the teachers to impart the knowledge and skills they ought to acquire. This way, we can surely say that we are not only building structures and edifices, but also the future of this generation.