317 graduates of Don Bosco Centec in Dili

By Fr. Manuel Pinto, SDB

Dili, Timor Leste, 16 December 2016 -- This year, 2016, it's a year of blessing for our community of Don Bosco Training Centre Comoro. During past 12 months we were able to accompany, educate and form a big number of young people boys and girls in different areas of trades and skills. There are 317 graduates last December 16. In past years the number of graduates reached only to 130 or 170. Many youngsters came to our training centre motivated by good facilities, discipline, good team-work of Salesians educating and forming together with our lay mission partners (teachers, instructors and other staff), and supported also from the government.

The areas of training we have are:

Area of GENERAL CONSTRUCTION which consists of 6 departments: Electricity, Air-Conditioning, Metal Fabrication, Wood-working, Masonry and Plumbing; 

Area of AUTOMOTIVE; 

Area of COMPUTER ADMINISTRATION.

The Don Bosco Training Centre (CENTEC) was established during Indonesia times in 1990. In the beginning the training was limited to 3 departments: Carpentry, Electricity and Sewing course for girls. After the independence of RDTL in 2002 we were able to establish and install other new training skills after learning the example from Australia (Aus-Training or TAFE). After adopting and implementing the model from Australia for 5 years finally, 2013, we were accredited by government as formal institution in the country.

The duration of the training is one full year for Certificate I and II (6 month for Certificate I and 6 month for Cert. II). Thanks God that this year we are able to start with Certificate III (for 15 to 17 months).

Normally from each level of certificate they were given 2 months to do experience or 'On the Job Training' (OJT). Some were accepted by the companies or government offices as their employees right after their experience. Many of them are also going abroad (organized by government to work in South Korea), some continue in the universities and few are organized themselves to do small business or self-employment.

The trainees are coming from all over the districts of Timor Leste. Many are coming by their own will and some are recommended by a variety of NGO, Parishes, Religious sisters or Salesians. Many of the students are very poor in terms of financial, moral, discipline and vocational skills.

During last three years (2014-2016) we've involved our own post-novices in skills training, especially in general construction. And we really glad that from this school year also our Junior Pre-Novices (=Aspirants) too successfully skilled themselves in different areas. By next January 7, 2017 they will be going to Lospalos for Prenovitiate.

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