The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has introduced “Juana Creatives,” a new co-working and learning hub designed to support Filipinos interested in pursuing creative careers. Launched on March 30, the initiative aims to open more opportunities in the creative sector by combining skills training with enterprise support, including the use of artificial intelligence.
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The program marks an expansion of TESDA’s technical vocational education and training into creative and cultural fields, offering a more flexible approach for individuals who want to develop new skills beyond traditional work schedules. Officials said the hub is intended to make creative learning more accessible, especially for those balancing work or other responsibilities.
“This initiative helps future-proof creative livelihoods by focusing on skills that remain distinctly human—craft, design, storytelling and cultural expression—even as artificial intelligence reshapes industries,” TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez explained.
Flexible Learning for Creative Disciplines
Juana Creatives is designed as an inclusive space for freelancers, hobbyists, cultural practitioners, and entrepreneurs looking to explore or strengthen their creative capabilities. The hub offers short courses and workshops led by industry practitioners, covering a wide range of disciplines.
Participants can enroll in programs such as pottery and ceramics with Studio Roman, scent making with Fragrance Factory, leather craft with Everything Green, and pattern making and fashion with Slims. Other offerings include gemstone and jewelry making with Lapidary, photography and videography with the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging, film production with the Film Academy of the Philippines Guilds, digital embroidery with Norde, and animation with the TESDA Human Resource and Development Center and the Animation Council of the Philippines.
To accommodate different schedules, classes are available during evenings and weekends, making it easier for working professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs to participate without disrupting their daily routines.
Adapting to an AI-Driven Economy
TESDA highlighted that the hub focuses on hands-on, craft-based, and culturally rooted skills that are less likely to be replaced by automation. By strengthening these competencies, the program aims to help learners stay competitive as industries evolve alongside advances in artificial intelligence.
While the initiative was launched in line with Women’s Month celebrations, TESDA clarified that Juana Creatives is open to all genders, reinforcing its goal of inclusivity and wider access to creative education.
As more industries shift toward automation and digital transformation, programs like Juana Creatives provide Filipinos with alternative pathways to build sustainable livelihoods. For many, this means new opportunities to turn creative passions into income streams, helping strengthen both individual careers and the country’s growing creative economy.
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