PBEd signs pact creating industry skill councils to boost job prospects for country’s young people

THE Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) has signed an agreement with the Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP), the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, Inc. (SEIPI), and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) which will create industry councils that will work to increase the employability of young people.

PBEd conducted a virtual memorandum signing with AAP, SEIPI and the PCCI Human Resources Development Foundation Thursday to create Sector Skills Councils (SSCs). The agreement is part of PBEd’s “A Future that Works” (AFW) program, funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

PBEd Chairman Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr. said at the signing ceremony Thursday that the SSCs will help improve the education and training of students by involving the private sector to ensure the skills they learn make them employable.

“In the next few months, we will work together with the sectors in operationalizing the work of these councils, generating information in skills and career pathways and develop skills roadmaps as guides in a post-pandemic world,” he said.

The SSCs will focus on the food processing industry, the semiconductor and electronics sector, and the analytics sector.

AAP Board Secretary Sherwin Pelayo said at the briefing that AAP will conduct a labor market intelligence study under the AFW program that will reveal the supply-demand balance for analytics skills.

SEIPI Business Lead Mabelle Dela Cruz said training to prepare for work in the electronics sector is critical and private sector partnership with educational institutions will be necessary. She added: “The industry will need to train and upskill the workforce to cope with the technical demands of new products and technologies.” —