Isabela State University (ISU) continues to conduct academic mentoring and real-world employability through its Women Mentoring Scheme under the Technical Vocational Education and Training – Competency Assessment Center (TVET-CAC). This initiative extends beyond traditional academic guidance, providing women with the opportunity to gain specialized vocational training and earn National Competency Certifications in male-dominated technical and agricultural fields.

Among the programs implemented under this initiative is the “Prepare Land leading to Agricultural Crops Production NC III” training, conducted by the ISU Echague Campus under the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP). The University produced a total of twenty-three (23) graduates across two batches in 2024, the first from April 15 to April 26, and the second from May 13 to May 24. Each group began with a Training Induction Program (TIP) that introduced scholars to the course curriculum, institutional policies, and TESDA guidelines.

The course equipped participants, many of whom were women entering non-traditional sectors, with advanced agricultural competencies. The trainees learned to interpret planting plans, assess site hazards, and perform pre-operational checks on farm machinery. Their hands-on sessions covered both primary cultivation using plows and secondary tillage such as harrowing to prepare optimal seedbeds. They also mastered creating furrows or beds according to crop requirements, applying basal fertilizers, maintaining equipment, and completing operational reports.

Through programs like this, ISU encourages women to pursue roles in fields such as Agricultural Crops Production, Horticulture, Rice Farm Machinery, Organic Agriculture Production, and Agro-entrepreneurship and also empowers them with formal and nationally recognized credentials.

By combining mentorship with certification, the University ensures that women are prepared to enter these industries and are fully equipped for sustainable professional opportunities.