Benguet lass prides self on ‘track’ as future electrician

By Liza Agoot  

BOKOD, Benguet – Kate Scott, a young lady from the town of Bokod, said training to become an electrician is not something women should be afraid of, but a source of pride.
    She said girls like her are also capable of performing tasks which used to be just for men.
    Scott said gender is not an issue in her course Bachelor of Technical Vocational Teacher Education, in which training and practice to hone the skill in doing house electrical wiring is a foundation.
    The 19-year-old barrio lass from Barangay Daclan here was undergoing a one-on-one practical examination with her professor in her house wiring subject at Benguet State University-Bokod campus early this week when interviewed by the Philippine News Agency.
    She was working on a series of lighting systems, connecting one to the other and to the switch.
Benguet State University is a government-run academic institution with several campuses in Benguet province that bring quality education to far-flung communities.
    Both hands holding pliers while fixing the wires, Kate said in Ilocano, "This is not just for men, women can do it too as long as you know the safety precautions."
    Her course does not only prepare her to become a licensed teacher but also a skilled electrician.
    Now on her second year in college, she is determined to finish her studies, believing she could be as skilled as the men in the profession, for which she is arming herself with theoretical and practical training.
    Scott recalled that her interest in the field started in high school. She said with the basic training she acquired in her Technical and Livelihood Education subject, she decided to take the course after graduation. "Gusto ko na iba naman sa mga kapatid ko (I want to be different from my siblings)," she said.
    Scott's eldest sibling is soon graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree. The second is taking up a food science course while the youngest is still in high school.
    Cesar Miguel Suayan, Scott's professor in Electrical Technology, said she is one of only two students who continued with the course amid the pandemic.
    He said there used to be over a hundred students but the pandemic left only Kate and another male classmate in the roster. The others opted to stay at their family farm to tend to their crops.
    "I offered to give one-on-one lecture because of the safety issue involved in handling electricity on their own at home and Kate responded," Suayan said.
    He said that for Scott to be able to practice a profession as an electrician, she needs to pass the licensure examination for teachers and acquire a national certification from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
    Suayan also said Scott has always shown determination to learn and hone her skills. -- PNA