Top Free TESDA Online Courses in 2020

Last Updated – Dec 2, 2022 @ 8:02 am

Thinking of doing something more productive than bingeing on K-dramas and TikToking during the pandemic?

With the community quarantine giving us no other choice but to stay home, you might as well put your time to good use, like learning a new skill or upgrading an existing one. 

You can do that in the comfort and safety of your home through TESDA’s online courses. Now is the perfect time to enroll in courses that will sharpen the skills you need to find a new job, get promoted at work, or start your own business.

Get started by learning what the TESDA Online Program is, how it can help you reach your goals, and the best courses to take this year. 

What is TESDA?

TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) is the government agency that implements and manages technical education and skills development programs in the Philippines.

Part of its mandate is ensuring the quality and inclusivity of technical vocational education and training, especially for middle-level Filipino workers.

This is why TESDA makes free online courses accessible to everyone with a mobile device and an internet connection.

What is TESDA Online Program?

The TESDA Online Program (TOP) consists of free courses covering a wide range of topics such as entrepreneurship, IT, agriculture, automotive, and more. 

This open educational resource provides Filipinos easy access to technical education and training at no cost to increase their employment and income-earning opportunities.

Filipinos can take these online courses through the TOP website at e-tesda.gov.ph or mobile app, which is available for both Android and iOS users.

Since its launch in 2012, the TESDA Online Program has garnered 1.47 million registered users.

Top Free TESDA Online Courses in 2020

In just two weeks since the start of the Luzon-wide lockdown in March, TESDA has seen a surge in enrollment in its free online courses. Nearly 20,000 users enrolled in TESDA online courses during that period. Since then, around 1,300 new users on average have been signing up daily for the online learning program.

Out of the 68 courses currently available on the TOP website, the ones with the highest enrollees include electronics, tourism, entrepreneurship, IT, and 21st-century skills.

We’ve picked the top TESDA online courses that will be worth your time based on what’s currently in-demand and relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Entrepreneurship Courses

Planning to start a home-based business? These online courses can give you the head-start for your entrepreneurial journey.

Managing Your Personal Finances

Focusing on achieving financial independence, this online training module teaches how to make sound financial decisions and create a plan to improve one’s income and spending habits.

Get tips on eliminating debts, living within your means, saving money, and other good financial practices.

STAR Online Training Program

Written entirely in Filipino, this online course is made for aspiring and existing micro and small business owners who want to hone their business management skills. Lessons include how to start a business, proper product branding, and ways to sustain profits. 

After completing the STAR Online Training Program, you can apply for a business loan from select microfinance institutions. 

Start and Improve Your Business

This management training program, developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO), is all about starting and improving a small business.

The online course covers startup essentials such as generating business ideas, writing a business plan, marketing, managing people, and more.

COVID-19 Management Courses

Data from TESDA reveals that more than half (67%) of enrollees availed of the TESDA Online Program because of the COVID-19 community quarantine.

If you have the same reason for signing up for TESDA’s online learning program, it makes sense to enroll in COVID-19-related courses to stay informed and protected.

COVID-19 Awareness

For 30 minutes, this free online course covers the basics of COVID-19 control and prevention.

Learn the coronavirus symptoms to watch out for, how to protect yourself and others against the infectious disease, and the common misconceptions about it.

Practicing COVID-19 Preventive Measures in the Workplace

Whether you’re a key executive, manager, or rank-and-file employee in your organization, it helps to know exactly what to do to ensure that the virus won’t spread in your workplace. 

Take this 2.5-hour online course to learn safety protocols and self-protection practices that must be observed in the workplace, as well as while traveling via public transportation.

The educational material is a combination of audio and text, so you can listen to each lesson while doing something else.

21st Century Skills – Workplace Communication Courses

Working from home is the new norm for employees all over the world. With the lack of face-to-face interactions comes a unique set of problems—such as miscommunication—that lead to workplace issues and conflicts. 

If you want to improve the way you communicate with your colleagues, bosses, and subordinates, then it’s worth spending your time on TESDA’s courses on workplace communication.

Receiving and Responding to Workplace Communication

This module covers the fundamentals of effective communication in the workplace. It starts with a discussion of the basic principles of organizational communication and then identifies the different skills necessary to communicate properly (e.g., listening, speaking, empathy, etc.). 

The online course also tackles workplace etiquette in different communication channels used in the office, such as email, written notices, and face-to-face meetings.

Participating in Workplace Communication

Find out the skills and attitude needed to gather, interpret, and relay information in the workplace, as well as deal with different kinds of people and industries for work and business. 

Interesting lessons include presenting yourself in the workplace and participating in team meetings. 

Through this module, you’ll also learn how to complete relevant work-related documents.

Tourism Courses

TESDA online courses under the Tourism category have been popular before and during the pandemic. This is hardly surprising despite the Philippine tourism industry being put to a halt due to COVID-19. 

Such courses help students acquire the knowledge and skills for running a food business, which is in-demand nowadays. Those who want to get into the hospitality industry (when the pandemic is over) can start learning in advance, so they’re ready to work when the right time comes.

Food and Beverage Services NC II

Take Food and Beverages Services NC II if you wish to work in hotels and restaurants or operate one. This TESDA online course consists of three modules: introduction to food and beverage service, providing table service, and providing room service.

Here are some things you’ll learn through this online course:

• Common foodservice tools and equipment
• Table napkin folding
• Occupational safety and health standards
• Welcoming and seating dining guests
• Taking and serving orders
• Receiving, preparing, and serving room service orders

Cookery NC II

You don’t have to enroll in an expensive culinary school to become a professional cook. Through TESDA’s Cookery NC II program, you can gain the skills needed for preparing cold meals (salads, sandwiches, appetizers, etc.), hot meals (soups, vegetable/seafood/meat/poultry dishes, etc.), and desserts—all for free.

Bread and Pastry Production NC II

For the aspiring pastry chef, this online course is ideal. Focusing on cake preparation, Bread and Pastry Production NC II teaches how to bake and decorate different types of cakes.

Electrical and Electronics Courses

Computer Systems Servicing NC II

The Computer Systems Servicing (CSS) program consists of five courses:

• Introduction to CSS NC II – Basics of hands-on computer systems, including computer hardware, hand tools at equipment, and occupational safety and health
• Installing and Configuring Computer Systems – How to assemble and disassemble computers, install operating systems and other program applications, and more
• Setting Up Computer Networks – Network cables, network configuration, etc.
• Setting Up Computer Servers – How to set up user access, configure network services, and conduct testing and documentation
• Maintaining Computer Systems and Networks – Necessary preparations for computer system and network maintenance, as well as how to inspect and test configured computer systems and networks

Information and Communications Technology Courses

SMART Technopreneurship 101

Planning to launch a tech-based startup? Learn the concept of technopreneurship as well as the essentials of starting your technology-based company through this TESDA online course.

Web Development Using HTML5 and CSS3

Start building a lucrative career as a freelance web developer with this course on HTML5 and CSS3, two of the widely used programming languages today. The Web Development Using HTML5 and CSS3 course was developed in partnership with Google Inc.

Other TESDA Course Categories

There is a wide variety of subjects, crafts, and skills you can learn via TESDA Online Program. Below are some of the other courses available on the platform:

• Agriculture – for Fisheries & Fruit Growing
• Automotive – for Engine Tune-up & Battery Servicing
• Flexible Learning
• HVAC – for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Condition Servicing
• Healthcare – for Massage Therapy
• Lifelong Learning Skills – including skills to succeed and job interview skills
• Maritime – Ship’s catering
• Solid Waste Management (in workplaces)
• Food & Beverage Processing
• Social & Community Development – such as Beauty Services
• Technical Education & Skills Development – for Curriculum and Training aids.

Related: 100+ Best Free Online Courses for Filipinos

How to Register in the TESDA Online Program

Before you can access and enroll in TESDA online courses, you have to create an account on the TOP website. 

The registration process is simple and straightforward. Just follow these steps:

1. Go to the TESDA Online program login page.
2. Click the Create New Account button.
3. Fill out the account registration form.
4. Click the Create My New Account button.
5. Check your email for a confirmation message from TESDA and read the instructions on completing your registration
6. Click on the link to confirm your new account. This will log you in to your TESDA Online Program account.

If you’re an OFW, you can register through the TESDA App. Download the mobile app on Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

During online registration, you’ll have to fill out a form with your personal and professional details, location in the Philippines, and the skills training you need.

How to Enroll in TESDA Online Courses

Once you’ve signed up for an online account, you can already start enrolling in TOP courses you’re interested in. Here’s how:

1. Go to the TESDA Online program login page.
2. Enter your username and password. Click the Log In button to access your TOP account.
3. On the top menu, click on “Courses.” 
4. Choose from the list of available TESDA online courses. Click on the course category and then the module you want to enroll in.
5. Click the Enroll Me button. If an enrolment key is required, enter the one your trainer has given you.
6. You are now enrolled in your chosen course and can access the lessons. You can proceed to the next lesson only after completing the previous one.

Benefits of taking TESDA online courses

Why should you join the TESDA Online Program? More than the actual skills and knowledge you acquire, here are some of the good reasons to invest in yourself through TESDA online courses.

1. Enroll in as many courses as you’d like for free

Unlike in online courses offered by private organizations, TESDA does not charge tuition or any fee for its online training program. You won’t even have to spend on transportation costs because all courses can be taken at home.

In addition, you can enroll in multiple TESDA online courses at the same time without having to pay for anything.

Globe and TM subscribers enjoy free data access to the TESDA Online Program, too. This means if your mobile data provider is Globe, you can access the TOP website anytime without incurring any data charges or even without load.

2. Learn at your own pace

TESDA online courses are different from webinars and traditional face-to-face classes with definite schedules. There’s no fixed date and time for taking a TESDA online course. 

You can study each course at any time that’s most convenient for you—after work, when the kids are asleep, or during your spare time. 

TESDA also allows TOP users to review the courses they’ve already taken as many times as needed. This is great if you want to understand the concepts better or to refresh your knowledge on a certain topic.

3. Get better job opportunities

High school graduates, college undergraduates, returning OFWs, career switchers, and stay-at-home parents benefit the most from the employment opportunities that come their way after learning skills from TESDA online courses.

Related: College Courses in the Philippines [Complete List]

4. Boost your resume

You can add the TESDA online courses you’ve completed to your resume. This way, you can boost your qualifications, raising your chances of being a good fit since you have the skills and knowledge required for the job.

5. Increase income sources or prepare for a new business

The more skills you gain, the more ways you can earn income. For example, if you are passionate about baking and learn it through a relevant TESDA course, you can start making money from selling cakes and pastries from home.

6. Improve other aspects of your life

The advantages of taking TESDA online courses go beyond improving your career or business prospects. Above all, you take several steps toward improving yourself and your community—be it managing your personal finances, ensuring your health and safety, communicating with others, or contributing to sustainability.

Related: How to Get Student Loans in the Philippines

TESDA Online Courses FAQs