Certif-ID Joins Forces with TUV Rheinland Philippines and Multiple Government Agencies to Support Seafarers Impacted by COVID-19

MANILA,Philippines,July 22,2020 -- In celebration of United Nations' World Youth Skills Day,Certif-ID International and TUV Rheinland Philippines,a global leader in independent inspection services,joined forces to mark the World Youth Skills Day by launching the initiative 'NEXT STEP SEAFARERS: SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TO EMPLOYMENT' onJuly 15. This strategic partnership is aimed at supporting seafarers in returning to the workforce as quickly as possible.

Targeting COVID-19's Impact on Seafarers

The pandemic has left over 50000 seafarers unemployed. 29000 Filipino seafarers were repatriated to the Philippines since March 15th and over 26000 are awaiting repatriation as of May 12,2020.

To tap the potential of the unused labour force and support thousands of seafarers who lost their jobs due to coronavirus,Certif-ID brings to the forefront a dedicated skills community and a global networking platform built on blockchain technology.

Certif-ID offers next-gen tools like the SkillPass that seafarers can use to showcase their skills,record and share online interviews and store all relevant information in a digital portfolio secured with blockchain technology.

Combiningtheir strengths with TUV Rheinland who has over 140 years of experience in technical training,Certif-ID plans to build a digital community for seafarers in the Philippines. To create credible online digital profiles,connect with jobs and seek guidance on upskilling.

In partnership,TUV Rheinland Philippines and Certif-ID will drastically improve recruitment accuracy and reduce the time and effort taken by professionals to find vacant posts across the maritime and associated industry sectors.

"Source Skilled Professionals For Key Industries And Services"

Commenting on this partnership and launch of the initiative,Timothy Miller,the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Certif-ID International,said,"we are unsure of when the industry will return to the pre-COVID levels. The labour market is changing and seafarers will need to differentiate themselves. SkillPass can provide that edge. One can securely share their details with recruiters and have them verified instantly,helping them land jobs faster as compared to traditional routes. Together with TUV Rheinland Philippines,we believe that professionals who choose Certif-ID should be able to progress their careers while making the best use of their skills."

"We have been looking for a partner who can increase the visibility of skilled seafarers and simplify the talent sourcing process. SkillPass can provide an excellent opportunity for Filipino workers," said Tristan Arwen Loveres,Managing Director at TUV Rheinland Philippines. "We believe that it will open new employment opportunities,make a striking impression on recruiters and differentiate skilled workers in the post-COVID job market."

Joining Certif-ID and TUV Rheinland Philippines in filling this massive task of building an inclusive learning and career development platform for seafarers as well as promoting transparency of skills requirements are Vice President Leni Robredo,Republic of the Philippines; Mr. Aniceto "John'' Bertiz III,Deputy Director of the General of the Partnerships and Linkages of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA); Mr. Joel B. Maglunsod,Executive Director of the Department of Labor and Employment - National Maritime Polytechnic (DOLE-NMP); Chief Engineer Artemio V. Serafico President of the TSM Maritime Services Philippines; Dr. Martin Henkelmann,Executive Director of the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI); Mr. Jesper Svenningsen,Executive Director of the Nordic Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; Ms. Katerina Ananiadou of UNESCO,Mr. Pons Asidera,Growth Partner of SkillBean Inc.; Ms. Trixie Whyte,Founder and Chairperson of the Q2 Group of Companies; COMPASS Training Center,Inc.; and PTC Holdings.

About Certif-ID

Certif-ID is a dedicated skills community. It is a global networking platform built on blockchain technology,connecting technical training institutions,industry professionals and recruiters. On the platform,technical training institutes can issue digital certificates placed on blockchain,optimising their certification and placement processes. Technical professionals can build their SkillPass to showcase their skills,record online interviews,plan their learning journeys,store all relevant information in a digital portfolio and share their credentials with potential recruiters. Recruiters can screen and source candidates based on competency,verify their digital records and reduce recruitment efforts. Connecting key stakeholders in the technical sector,Certif-ID focuses on streamlining the sourcing process,bridging the skills gap between education and employment while establishing trust and transparency.

Website: https://certif-id.com/

About TUV Rheinland

TÜV Rheinland stands for safety and quality in almost all areas of business and life. Founded almost 150 years ago,the company is one of the world's leading testing service providers with more than 21,400 employees and annual revenues of 2.1 billion euros. TÜV Rheinland's highly qualified experts test technical systems and products around the world,support innovations in technology and business,train people in numerous professions and certify management systems according to international standards. In doing so,the independent experts generate trust in products as well as processes across global value-adding chains and the flow of commodities. Since 2006,TÜV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption.

Website: www.tuv.com

About World Youth Skills Day

In December 2014,the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 15th July as World Youth Skills Day. The goal is to achieve better socio-economic conditions for today's youth as a means of addressing the challenges of unemployment and underemployment. The theme for 2020 World Youth Skills Day is "Skills for a Resilient Youth". The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures have led to the worldwide closure of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions,threatening the continuity of skills development. In post-COVID-19 societies,as young people are called upon to contribute to the recovery effort,they will need to be equipped with the skills to successfully manage evolving challenges and the resilience to adapt to future disruptions.