Future workforce must be digitally literate, says Abac

Apec Business Advisory Council (Abac PH) member Guillermo Luz warned that 65 percent of Filipino children entering school today will hold jobs that don’t currently exist.

Luz cited the RMIT University research project that was reported in this year’s meeting of Apec business leaders which looked at the impact of digitization on existing and future jobs.

The study further noted that one-third of present skill sets will be replaced by 2020, and 375 million workers will have new occupations by 2030.

Digital innovation is part of the council’s fourpoint agenda which it pushed in Apec meetings in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

“Harnessing digital innovation is the key to the future economy, and for the Philippines this means leveraging on our human capital through education and training,” said Luz.

According to Abac PH, current and future workforce must be digitally literate and proficient.

This is critical for industries like information technology-business process management to remain competitive and help the sector gear up for higher value-adding services such as knowledge process outsourcing and big data analytics.

The advisory group also noted that students and workers must know how to work with current and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain to be able to take full advantage of the digital economy.

Abac PH showed how innovations in education and training such as micro-courses and virtual programs can provide the needed skills for tomorrow.

According to the council, these give students flexibility to learn and acquire competencies in trending and upcoming skill areas.