One-Forty offers free skills training

Migrant workers in Taiwan can access free education and skills training through One-Forty, a nonprofit organization established in 2015 to help foreign workers adapt to their workplaces and communities.

In an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE’s Usapang OFW, One-Forty education specialist Hazel Tiu discussed programs for Filipino and other Southeast Asian migrant workers, including Mandarin, computer and artificial intelligence skills, financial management and career exploration.

The organization holds face-to-face classes in Taipei from March to November and offers online Mandarin classes for workers unable to attend because of work schedules and limited days off.

Tiu said the programs are funded through donations and partnerships with Taiwanese companies employing migrant workers.

“A lot of companies here in Taiwan have many migrant workers in their factories,” she said, adding that some companies seek One-Forty’s assistance in improving workers’ communication and skills.

One-Forty expanded its computer training to include AI skills this year. Tiu said some students have used computer and spreadsheet skills to take on greater responsibilities, including becoming team leaders.

Graduates receive supplementary certificates, but these are not government-accredited qualifications. Tiu encouraged students to pursue official Mandarin proficiency tests such as the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language, or TOCFL.

“Many of our migrant workers want to improve their Mandarin because they want to communicate better and adapt more quickly to their jobs,” Tiu said.