Mapúa releases trends in occupations for 2021
THE pandemic has brought about changes in the employment space, which points to an urgent demand for more digital-focused skills—a cue for students to zero-in on digitalrelated programs.
According to Mapúa University’s Office of Admissions, enrollees are taking stock of the rapid shift of business processes, as well as the digital delivery of products and services. This was supported by the large volume of inquiries on, as well as applications and reservations, for digital-related programs since last year.
Some programs that are digital in nature and have digital-related applications include computer science, computer engineering, information technology, mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, data science, technical communication, educational technology, multimedia arts, and business administration, among others.
Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea, Mapúa’s president and CEO, suggested that in assessing academic programs to pursue, learners consider important criteria. He explained that these should answer the following questions: Is the program aligned to the way industries are evolving, and what will its demand be for skills now and in the near future? Now that digital skills are seen to be continuously rising and in demand, will the program provide the right outcomes in terms of skills and career options?
Also, does the program have a strong reputation locally and on international grounds for digital and technology-based education? Is the program capable of providing opportunities to learn from global institutions and experience global practices through student exchange and international programs and onthe-job training, making a graduate ready for the local and global talent marketplace?
“Mapúa’s outcomes-based education ensures the academic curriculum is designed to provide a promising future and successful careers for its graduates,” Dr. Vea said. “Students who have digitalrelated skills have an edge in terms of finding work after they graduate, especially now, since the pandemic has pushed the majority of the population and businesses to go digital.”
According to a report from professional/career social-media network Linkedin, trends across work in Southeast Asia include a significant uptick in digital-services adoption as a result of the pandemic.
Electronic commerce, or e-commerce, boomed in 2020; traditional roles have evolved; and companies have found ways to connect with their target audiences in the online realm. These resulted in the rise in demand for digital marketers and content creators.
Its “Jobs on the Rise in 2021” report named prominent industry workers of the era. Among them are data analysts, engineers specializing in mechanics and manufacturing, digital-content and marketing specialists, cyber-security specialists and consultants, as well as public relations officers, apart from health-care and medical-support professions. Also noted was the emergence of two new fields in the region: Health Technology or Healthtech, and Educational Technology or Edtech.
Healthtech champions healthcare services delivered to patients that primarily use technological platforms and are enabled beyond hospital or physician office premises. Edtech, on the other hand, facilitates learning using technology software and tools to improve students’ education outcomes.
The report noted that a common and overarching trend in its occupation list is that almost all courses may be conducted remotely, and that workers who are equipped with even the basic digital skills will have an edge.
With the increase in digital adoption, demand for workers with digital and tech skills will remain strong. Some examples of which are specialized engineers, cybersecurity talent, and data analysts.
“The emergence of these jobs is due to the need for digital services,” Dr. Vea concluded. “There is a need for these professionals to help businesses and organizations understand customers, create new products and services, establish processes for manufacturing and other operations, to continue reaching out and communicating to target markets, and to protect themselves from emerging threats.”