According to a recent press release, the Electronic Transaction Development Agency (ETDA ) and the Chitralada Institute of Technology (CIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which aims to develop the curriculum and build a workforce for the electronic transactions industry.
The Assoc. Prof. and Acting President of the Office of the SEC stated that the CIT is an educational unit that focuses on producing knowledgeable graduates.
In its role, the institution will provide technical expertise to support the needs of the labour market and the main industry of the country.
Currently, CIT provides certification in the field of Business Administration, Food Business Management as well as the Faculty of Industrial Technology. In addition, courses are available in the field of electrical and electronic technology. These courses are equipping Thai youth so that they may support the expansion of the labour market in the era of Industry 4.0.
In the academic year 2020, the Institute will open teaching in the Faculty of Digital Technology to create graduates with specific expertise.
To ensure that the curriculum is comprehensive, the Institute will be cooperating with ETDA to jointly develop courses in electronic and electronic commerce transactions. It will also be partnering with firms and organisations from the industrial sector.
These efforts are aimed at enhancing development and building manpower in the digital industry particularly in the field of electronic transactions and complete electronic commerce.
It was revealed that in the past decade, the number of Thai internet users has gone from 9.3 million people in 2008 to 45 million people currently. There are more than 124 million mobile phone numbers. A Thai user spends an average of 10 hours 5 minutes on the Internet per day. This reflects changing Thai consumer behaviour.
As a result, the value of or e-commerce in Thailand is growing at an average of 10 per cent per year. At the same time, most Thai SMEs entrepreneurs need e-commerce businesses to help push their businesses into the online market.
Thus, developing these courses with CIT is how the ETDA as a unit plans to achieve its main objective which is to promote and support transactions, accelerate the country’s drive to develop a workforce and support SMEs to conduct more business online.
In the past, the ETDA has been worked to create support systems for the development of manpower. It has worked to help Thai SMEs to go online under the concept of e-Commerce Park. To manifest a goal like this, the ETDA signed many cooperation agreements with various educational institutions like Srinakharinwirot University, Rajamangala University of Technology, Phra Nakhon and Prince of Songkla University.
Moreover, the ETDA is developing of manpower through its “Young Talent Platform” that is also designed to support e-Commerce Park. Now, with the added cooperation and support of this collaboration with Chitralada Institute of Technology, the two will jointly develop courses in electronic transactions and electronic commerce to enhance the skills of students in various niches. This will prepare them for the challenges of being in a workforce of the digital age.
The cooperation framework will focus on the development of various curricula that will be in line with the e-Commerce business model Thailand is working to create.
This will include training and the development of Thailand’s digital technology potential. Thus, students will be able to expand their knowledge base in this field and increase their prospects of being obtaining better jobs in a digital workforce.
The courses will work help students establish careers that meet the needs of entrepreneurs while also encouraging Thai SMEs to move into the e-commerce market effectively.