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(+632) 88014447Biz groups, experts push for greater collaboration to address PH job-skills mismatch
PBEd | August 30, 2023
Several business groups, international and local skills development experts called for greater participation among government agencies, industry leaders, and academic institutions to address job-skills mismatch which stunts workforce development efforts in the Philippines.
"By harnessing industry-driven insights we can provide informed labor policies and bolster our ability to build a better skills training system that empowers workers and supports their career growth. This, in turn, translates into a more resilient and thriving labor force driving growth and prosperity for the country," said International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for the Philippines Director Khalid Hassan during the Knowledge Exchange Forum on Competency Standards Development.
The forum held last August 30-31 in Makati City was organized by Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), ILO, and Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA). This facilitated discussions including sharing of best practices and lessons learned among experts from the United Kingdom (UK), ILO, TESDA, Department of Trade and Industry and Commission on Higher Education. Business associations from high-value sectors such as analytics and AI, Information Technology Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO), agricultural manufacturing and construction. The participants also shared their insights on the importance of industry participation in skills development and the alignment of curriculum with industry skills needs using labour market information (LMI).
“At the heart of successful workforce development systems, is a meaningful collaboration among the government, industry, and academe…By aligning educational curricula with industry requirements, we create pathways of success for our graduates who are equipped with exact skills and knowledge sought by the job market,” PBEd Trustee George Barcelon said.
The event is part of the Skills for Prosperity Project in the Philippines, funded by the UK Government and implemented by the ILO. The project works with key government agencies, employers’ organizations, trade unions and other stakeholders to boost skills development and technical-vocational education and training (TVET) systems in the country.
Industry groups highlighted the importance of labor market information (LMI) for skills needs assessment of their sector. PBEd, through its A Future that Works Program, organizes industry leaders and experts to publish LMI reports which aid in building demand-driven competency standards and guide the training and upskilling of the workforce.
"The establishment of a robust LMI system is vital for aligning technical training with industry demands to facilitate seamless job-matching process. With our newly-launched National Technical Education and Skills Development Plan for 2023-2028, we count on greater cooperation with industry stakeholders in producing LMI to help inform area-based and demand-driven TVET programs," said TESDA Director-General Suharto Mangudadatu.
LMI reports in the sectors of analytics and AI and fruits and vegetables manufacturing are available on PBEd’s Sector Skills PH website, as part of its efforts in guiding Filipino workers in their career development, upskilling, and education. This is in collaboration with industry sector skills councils formed by the Analytics Association of the Philippines and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Human Resources Development Foundation.
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About PBEd
A nonprofit founded by the country’s top CEOs, Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) is the business community’s response to the need for greater education and economic alignment. Its advocacies include teacher quality improvement and workforce development.
About A Future That Works
“A Future That Works” is a program in partnership with the Australian Government and the Philippine Business for Education. This two-year initiative sets up Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) to better align training and skills development with emerging labour market needs and supporting the Philippines through its digital transformation amidst the COVID-19 disruptions. This program presents opportunities for Australian education providers to collaborate with Philippine education and industry stakeholders around competency frameworks, skills maps and standards development, skills assessments and evidence-informed training programs matched to industry needs. Labor market intelligence reports of the sector skills councils can be accessed through the https://sectorskills.ph/ website.