We are not only facing the Covid crisis, but after this, we will also face many other crises that are coming, such as the trade war, economic problems, drought problems, and others.
The resulting impact is the unemployment problem. The National Economic and Social Development Board estimates that this year, there will be 8.4 million workers at risk of being laid off, while 520,000 new graduates entering the labor market may be jobless.
This crisis is considered a very big storm that has an impact on working people. Do we, the working people, have any choice to survive?
“Skills for the Future” is another important topic that was discussed at THE STANDARD ECONOMIC FORUM.
It’s really over with the old education model and the Thai education system that still focuses on rote learning, instilling emphasis on principles or theories, making it impossible to produce personnel with skills, knowledge and abilities that match what the job market needs. This is another reason why it’s hard for new graduates to find jobs, or in some fields, they may not be able to find any at all.
From an entrepreneur’s perspective, as Mr. Anupong Asavabhokin, CEO of AP (Thailand) said:
“What entrepreneurs want from students who are about to graduate is readiness to work immediately.”
This means that students should be prepared and have some experience working in the field or related to the job they are applying for. It is not like coming in and then learning in the organization. It will take several months before they can work.
For the admin, I personally agree with this point because the world is changing very quickly. We ourselves can feel it. Many occupations that we were familiar with in the past have disappeared. Many occupations have been replaced by technology. Mr. Anupong also told us that
Data from Oxford University says, “Over 40% of the jobs we see today will disappear in the next 10 years, but new jobs will emerge.”
It sounds scary, but for the admin, I think this matter will be more serious and faster than that. Because from the latest situation, this crisis should be a catalyst, causing current jobs to disappear faster and in greater numbers than before. But on the other hand, there is also an opportunity because there are many new jobs being created as well.
This makes “self-development an important matter and something that is no longer necessary.”
Because old jobs are disappearing and new jobs are emerging. If we want to be in demand in the job market, we must have new skills that are in demand by employers today and in the future as well. Therefore, those who do not develop themselves, do not update their knowledge in their careers, and do not continue to add new skills will definitely not have good jobs left for them to do.
Everyone, whether they are working people, students who are about to graduate, or even educational institutions, must adapt before it is too late because we already know that some skills or subjects have expired or are no longer applicable in the working world.
We probably can’t go back and blame the Thai education system as the cause. Let’s look ahead and find a way to make workers or students have skills that will prevent them from being unemployed. That would be better.
And for those who are already working, of which there are many right now, “What skills should workers have that will prevent them from becoming unemployed?”
Because the problem we mostly encounter is that new graduates are not ready, do not have enough knowledge and skills to work. When they start working, they have to start over again. They rely on their workplace as a training ground. It takes several months or, for some positions, a year to actually work.
In addition, the current workforce, their knowledge is no longer useful. However, if they were to go back and learn in the current education system, the current education system may not be able to provide the necessary knowledge or new skills, or the skills that can be used in real work as required by employers or the working world.
That is why entrepreneurs need to create a learning center. It is a new form of learning that meets the learning style that is suitable for working people. It comes with new skills that are important skills now and support the future for working people, such as SEAC (a subsidiary of AP (Thailand). More details at https://www.yournextu.com )
Mr. Anupong also emphasized that the survival path for working people is that all working people must quickly adapt to the New Normal or the new way of life that will occur soon by first setting life goals, such as what they want, what career they want to pursue, and must have a good mindset that loves and cares to learn all the time, including having an Outward Mindset, which means giving importance to others, such as those around us, no less than the importance of ourselves.
Chief Executive Officer, AP (Thailand)
When we have a goal and a good mindset, Mr. Anupong also recommends that the skills that working people, including students who are currently studying, need to have to ensure that we will be in demand in the current job market and can continue to grow in the future world are:
Skill 1: Basic knowledge : This must be the latest knowledge in the field in which the worker is working.
Skill 2: Digital Literacy : Whether it is programming skills or skills in using various programs, they are all necessary because more than half of the jobs from now on will definitely be in the digital world.
Skill 3: Soft Skills : which consists of many necessary skills such as Leadership, Decision Making, Problem Solving, Creativity, Communication and Collaboration Skills. It can be seen that these soft skills are always necessary and are skills that entrepreneurs and the future still need.
Skill 4: Learning Skill : Because learning is never-ending, we should not stop with the same old knowledge. We must always push ourselves to learn new things in order to keep up with the changing world and the future world that is coming.
What we heard from Mr. Anupong Assavabhokin, CEO of AP (Thailand) at THE STANDARD ECONOMIC FORUM seminar on the topic of “Skills For The Future” made us see major changes, both from the perspective of educational institutions and the private sector’s educational drive.
What is clear from this seminar is that now we know how and what skills we need to develop ourselves, and what skills we will definitely not lose our jobs or advance with.
So, don’t delay. It’s time for us to start upgrading ourselves again with these 4 skills. I assure you that we will definitely have good jobs to continue doing.
Reference: THE STANDARD ECONOMIC FORUM – Skills for The Future
