TESDA AI Training for Financial Services in the Philippines
Philippine banks, insurance companies, and fintech firms can leverage TESDA programs to train employees in AI skills specific to financial services. This guide covers relevant TESDA courses, enterprise training options, and how to build AI capabilities in your financial services workforce.
- Philippine-registered financial institutions (banks, insurance, fintech)
- BSP-licensed or SEC-registered entities
- Individual employees must be Filipino citizens for scholarship programs
- Company must be compliant with Philippine labour laws
- Assess your workforce AI training needs aligned with BSP requirements
- Contact TESDA to register as an enterprise training partner
- Submit training plan covering target roles and desired AI competencies
- Deliver TESDA-accredited foundational training
- Supplement with financial-services-specific advanced AI training
- Certify employees through National Competency Assessment
AI in Philippine Financial Services
The Philippine financial services sector is undergoing rapid digital transformation. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has actively encouraged AI adoption through its Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap and the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) integration. For financial institutions, AI skills are no longer optional — they are essential for regulatory compliance, risk management, and competitive positioning.
Key AI applications in Philippine financial services:
- Credit scoring: AI models for unbanked and underbanked populations (critical in the Philippines where ~66% are unbanked)
- Fraud detection: Real-time transaction monitoring using machine learning
- Regulatory compliance: Automated AML/KYC checks and reporting
- Customer service: AI chatbots and virtual assistants for digital banking
- Risk management: Predictive analytics for loan default and market risk
Relevant TESDA Programs for Financial Services
Direct TESDA Qualifications
- Bookkeeping NC III — Covers AI-powered accounting tools, automated financial reporting, and digital bookkeeping platforms. Ideal for operations and back-office staff.
- Contact Centre Services NC II — Relevant for bank call centres, covering AI chatbot management, sentiment analysis, and AI-assisted customer interaction.
- Programming NC IV — For teams building or maintaining financial technology systems, including AI model development and integration.
Enterprise-Based Training for Banks & Financial Institutions
Financial services firms can partner with TESDA to deliver customised training:
- AI for Credit Analysis — Train credit analysts to use AI-powered scoring models, interpret machine learning outputs, and manage model risk per BSP guidelines.
- AI for AML Compliance — Equip compliance teams with AI tools for transaction monitoring, suspicious activity detection, and regulatory reporting.
- AI for Customer Experience — Train frontline staff and digital teams to manage AI chatbots, personalise customer interactions, and handle AI-assisted enquiries.
- AI for Risk Management — Build capabilities in predictive analytics, stress testing with AI, and automated risk reporting.
TESDA Online Program for Financial Services Professionals
Free online courses that build foundational AI skills applicable to finance:
- Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
- Data Analytics Fundamentals
- Cybersecurity Fundamentals (critical for financial data protection)
- Python Programming for AI (useful for financial modelling)
Regulatory Alignment
Philippine financial institutions operate under strict BSP regulations. TESDA-aligned training helps ensure that AI adoption meets regulatory requirements:
- BSP Circular No. 1160 — Guidelines on AI and Machine Learning in banking, requiring adequate staff training before AI deployment.
- AMLA Requirements — Staff handling AI-powered AML systems must be trained in both the technology and regulatory framework.
- Data Privacy Act (RA 10173) — AI training must include data protection and privacy by design principles.
Implementation Approach for Financial Services Firms
- Assess current AI readiness — Map your workforce's existing digital skills against the AI capabilities you need.
- Identify priority roles — Focus first on roles with the highest AI impact (credit, compliance, customer service, risk).
- Select TESDA programs — Choose appropriate qualifications and enterprise training paths.
- Partner with Pertama — We bridge the gap between TESDA fundamentals and financial-services-specific AI deployment.
- Build certification pathway — Create a progression from TESDA NC to advanced AI certification.
Pertama Partners for Financial Services AI Training
Pertama Partners specialises in AI training for financial services across Southeast Asia. We work with Philippine banks and financial institutions to deliver training that combines TESDA-accredited foundations with industry-specific advanced AI capabilities.
Our Financial Services AI programs cover:
- AI for credit risk modelling (BSP-aligned)
- Machine learning for fraud detection
- NLP for compliance document review
- AI governance for financial institutions
- Responsible AI in lending and insurance
Contact us to design a TESDA-aligned AI training program for your financial institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. BSP Circular No. 1160 requires banks adopting AI/ML to ensure adequate staff training and understanding of AI systems. TESDA-accredited training provides documented evidence of compliance with these training requirements.
Absolutely. TESDA programs are available to all registered businesses including microfinance institutions, rural banks, and cooperatives. In fact, AI training is particularly valuable for these institutions as AI-powered credit scoring can help serve unbanked populations more effectively.
TESDA provides foundational AI skills. For financial-services-specific applications, we recommend combining TESDA certification with specialised training from providers like Pertama Partners who understand BSP regulations, AMLA compliance, and the specific AI use cases in Philippine banking and insurance.
- •Bookkeeping NC III (AI-enhanced)
- •Programming NC IV (FinTech focus)
- •Contact Centre Services NC II (Banking)
- •Data Analytics Fundamentals (TOP)
- •Cybersecurity Fundamentals (TOP)
- •Custom: AI for Credit Analysis
- •Custom: AI for AML Compliance
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