Pilmico, IVTSI & TESDA Partner to Launch Vocational Butchery Training

Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation (Pilmico) has partnered with Infinity Vocational Training School Inc. (IVTSI) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Tarlac Provincial Office to deliver TESDA-accredited hands-on training in slaughtering operations and retail meat cutting at its Tarlac Meatmasters facility.

The collaboration, formalized in a recent tripartite meeting led by Aboitiz Foods President and CEO Tristan Aboitiz, aims to provide practical, industry-aligned skills training in a real-world production environment. Trainees gain direct experience inside the country’s first multi-meat Triple AAA-accredited facility, which holds accreditations for Slaughterhouse (2021), Meat Cutting Plant (2023), and Cold Storage Warehouse (2025).

This initiative underscores a strong commitment from industry, government, and education sectors to develop a skilled workforce for the Philippines’ livestock and meat-processing value chain. By opening its advanced facility to trainees, Pilmico bridges the gap between theoretical learning and practical application.

Josh Douglas, Aboitiz Foods’ Assistant Technical Director for Meats Operations, highlighted the importance of human capital development. “Developing people is essential to building a stronger meat industry. By opening Tarlac Meatmasters for hands-on training, we hope to give aspiring professionals the opportunity to build practical skills while learning the discipline and food safety practices that define our operations,” he said. “Through partnerships like this, we aim to contribute to a stronger talent pipeline for the Philippine meat industry”.

The Tarlac Meatmasters facility serves as both a commercial operation and a top-tier learning environment. Trainees rotate through key areas including lairage, slaughter and meat-cutting rooms, and chilled storage facilities. This immersion exposes them to modern food safety protocols, quality control measures, operational excellence, biosecurity, and cold chain management standards that set Pilmico apart in the agribusiness sector.

IVTSI President and CEO Roy Aldous Bautista praised the partnership for elevating vocational education. “Combining IVTSI’s pioneering, TESDA-aligned curriculum in specialized butchery with Pilmico’s vast resources as an integrated agribusiness elevates vocational education”, Bautista noted. “Exposure to Pilmico’s benchmarks in animal nutrition, modern biosecurity, and cold chain management gives students a competitive edge in both domestic and overseas markets”.

Unlike conventional classroom-based programs, this initiative emphasizes real production-line experience. Participants wear comprehensive personal protective equipment (PPE) and adhere to strict safety, sanitation, and biosecurity regulations while developing technical competencies under professional supervision.

Feedback from the pilot batch of trainees has been overwhelmingly positive. John Kenneth Onofre, a former sales executive, shared his experience: “I had previously enrolled in a butchery course at another training school, but it was mostly classroom-based with no hands-on experience. I’m very grateful to have trained here at Pilmico’s Triple AAA-accredited facility. We were able to see the entire production process firsthand, and we’ve learned so much from the experience".

Hazel Pauline Pilotin, a Junior Accountant, appreciated how the program expanded her career options. “The skills of a butcher are valuable wherever you go whether it’s in a kitchen, a processing plant, fabrication, or packaging. This program has opened more career opportunities for me. So if I’m given the chance to work abroad, I know this training at Pilmico has prepared me well".

Ednel Galang, who previously worked as a Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling Operator in the Middle East, views the training as a pathway back home. “If I’m given the chance to work at Pilmico, I’ll definitely grab the opportunity because it would mean a lot to me. It would also help me further enhance what I’ve learned during the training".

Upon completion, trainees earn a National Certificate II (NC II), enhancing their employability across the meat industry. The program not only equips participants with technical skills but also instills the discipline and professionalism required in modern meat processing operations.

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Pilmico and IVTSI plan to scale the program, targeting up to 50 participants by the end of the year. Interested individuals can reach out to IVTSI through its Facebook page for enrollment details.

This partnership aligns with Aboitiz Foods’ broader mission as an integrated regional food and agribusiness company operating across eight countries. Driven by its purpose to 'Sustainably Feeding Asia’s Growth from Mill to Meal', Aboitiz Foods, through subsidiaries like Pilmico, continues to invest in people and communities while strengthening the food value chain.

By providing access to world-class facilities and expertise, Pilmico demonstrates how industry leaders can support vocational education and create meaningful employment pathways. The initiative contributes to a more resilient, skilled, and sustainable meat and agribusiness sector in the Philippines and beyond.

As the collaboration progresses, it serves as a model for future partnerships that combine academic rigor with practical industry exposure. Through such efforts, Pilmico and its partners are nurturing the next generation of food and agribusiness professionals ready to meet evolving market demands.