DOLE, TESDA to help build skills workers need to thrive in gig economy, IT-BPM sector
The Labor department will develop skills training modules to meet the rapidly changing demand of the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry, gig economy and other sectors.
The Labor department will develop skills training modules to meet the rapidly changing demand of the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry, gig economy and other sectors.
In a television interview on Thursday, Labor and Employment Secretary Bievenido E. Laguesma said he is now closely coordinating with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to come out with modules crucial to industries so they could fill up their manpower needs.
“This is also expected to become the source of new livelihood for many people,” Laguesma said.
In its latest JobsFit Labor Market Information Report, DOLE identified several emerging jobs in the country and in Southeast Asia.
Among the said emerging jobs deal with new technology such as mobile application developer, cybersecurity analysts and specialists, podcaster, YouTuber, social media marketing,and ecommerce coordinator among others.
In the said report, DOLE said “the pandemic brought to light the ever-growing role of technology in the world of work.”
Laguesma said they are also closely working with the private sector, particularly the IT-BPM sector, to ensure the said skills training will address their demands and standards.
“They identified categories of work which TESDA and the Department of Labor and Employment are now looking at so the [skills] training for it could be provided for free or with a subsidy,” Laguesma said.
He said they will also come out with new modules for work in the gig industry.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) defines gig economy as labor platforms which make use of technology to connect workers with consumers for one-off tasks, or jobs that are completed either virtually or in person by an on-demand workforce.
Laguesma said he is pushing for the formation of the National Coordinating Council for the implementation of the Philippine Qualification Framework so there will be an intersectoral approach to address the skill requirements of emerging jobs.
The Council will be led by the Department of Education (DepEd) and have member representatives from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), DOLE, TESDA, private sector, and academic institutions.
“Its (Council) goal is to form linkages to determine what are the [skill] needs of the industry and businesses,” Laguesma said.