The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will offer cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) courses from Amazon Web Services (AWS) free of charge through the TESDA Online Program (TOP).
TESDA and AWS signed a Strategic Training Agreement on September 29, 2026, at the TESDA Complex in Taguig City. TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez and AWS Philippines Country Manager Precious Lim signed the document.
The courses will run on TESDA’s learning management system, so that learners can take them directly within TOP. Training is open to all Filipinos with access to the program. There are no prerequisites and no fees for courses offered through TOP.
Three flagship courses will be integrated first:
- Fundamentals of AI: An introductory course on machine learning concepts and AI applications. No prior technical background is required.
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner: A foundational course on cloud skills across AWS services, security, architecture and pricing, with a pathway to a globally recognized certification.
- AWS Certified AI Practitioner: A basic course on applied AI skills, including responsible AI, generative AI and the use of AWS AI services for real-world problem-solving.
Subject to availability, learners who complete certification-track courses can enroll at the TESDA Women’s Center to access AWS Academy’s structured learning pathways. They may also be eligible to claim AWS certification vouchers for use in AWS Certification exams. Specific terms, eligibility requirements and limits on the vouchers are subject to the policies of TOP and AWS.
Benitez said the agreement reflects TESDA’s continuing efforts to make technical education more responsive to the demands of the digital economy.
“Skills development is ultimately about creating opportunities for people. Through this collaboration with AWS, we are giving Filipinos access to world-class cloud and AI training that they can use to build careers, pursue new opportunities, and contribute to the growth of our digital economy. Gusto nating masigurado na walang Pilipinong maiiwanan habang nagbabago ang mundo ng trabaho,” Benitez said.
Lim said the partnership reflects AWS’s commitment to building cloud and AI capabilities at national scale.
“Cloud and AI skills should be for everyone. Through this partnership with TESDA, we’re making world-class training available to every Filipino, whether they’re starting their career or embarking on a new one. When you remove the barriers of cost and access, you give an entire generation the tools to build a better future for themselves and their communities,” said Precious Lim, Country Manager of AWS Philippines.
The agreement builds on earlier cooperation between the two organizations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, AWS helped TESDA scale up TOP through cloud deployment as demand for online learning grew.
TESDA plans to add more courses from the AWS catalog on cloud architecture, security, databases and other technology topics. It also plans to expand the collaboration through industry-aligned training pathways, regional training events, and wider use of AWS content across its national network of technology institutions and provincial training centers.
The agreement is in line with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive to equip Filipinos with globally competitive skills.
