Several business groups—including 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.”
The call was made at the recent Knowledge Exchange Forum on Competency Standards Development, organized by the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd), the International Labor Organization (ILO), and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Khalid Hassan, ILO Country Office for the Philippines Director, underscored the importance of “harnessing industry-driven insights to bolster the ability to build a better skills training system that empowers workers and supports career growth.”
“This, in turn, translates into a more resilient and thriving labor force driving growth and prosperity for the country.” Hassan said.
BEST PRACTICES, LESSONS
The forum facilitated discussions, including sharing of best practices and lessons learned among experts from the United Kingdom (UK), ILO, TESDA, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd); business associations from high-value sectors such as analytics and artificial intelligence (AI); Information Technology Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO); and 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 labor market information (LMI).
The event is part of the Skills for Prosperity Program in the Philippines, funded by the UK Government and implemented by the ILO.
The program works with key government agencies, employers’ organizations, trade unions and other stakeholders to boost skills development and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems in the country.
SUCCESS PATHWAYS
“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 Executive Director Justine Raagas said.
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.
SEAMLESS JOB-MATCHING
TESDA Director-General Suharto Mangudadatu said “the establishment of a robust LMI system is vital for aligning technical training with industry demands to facilitate a 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,” Mangudadatu added.
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.
