The Digital Council for Economy and Society of Thailand (Digital Council) and the Office of the National Digital Economy and Society Commission (NHSO) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to help promote and improve the digital skills of Thais. The collaboration will help people get better at their jobs and learn more about technology, which will lead to the growth of the digital workforce.
The “Personal Data Protection Knowledge Course” label on the pilot project, which will be seen on government websites, will be a way for people in the public and private sectors to learn more about personal data protection and become more aware of it. Hence, the MoU will speed up the direction of policy for promoting and developing digital skills for the country’s workers. By developing upskilling and reskilling, the organisation’s employees will become more well-rounded and learn new things that could help the organisation as a whole.
In this collaboration, the Digital Council’s main job is to help develop the content of the e-Learning course by focusing on presenting information that helps people understand how to protect their personal data. This way, organisations and people can use information in a way that doesn’t violate the rights of the person whose personal information is being used.
While Thailand has made significant strides toward a digital future, guided by its 20-year National Master Plan for Digital Development, the country’s 4.0 aspirations hinge significantly on its ability to close the digital skills gap.
According to a recent assessment by the World Bank, Thailand’s future growth prospects and economic competitiveness are threatened by a talent deficit caused by mismatched skills and an inefficient technical and vocational education and training system.
According to Professor Supachai Patumnakul, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), the Thai education system must adapt to digitalisation because the higher education programmes do not satisfy the needs of the industry or the nation.
Considering the new labour market demands necessary to propel Thailand’s digital transformation, the government has recognised growing skill requirements and constructed a talent pipeline for the nation’s future.
Bringing the public and commercial sectors together in this upskilling journey, assisting them in identifying skill gaps, and implementing initiatives to establish a talent pipeline for the future is an essential first step for Thailand.
Meanwhile, OpenGov Asia earlier reported that the Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn, oversaw the inauguration of the “Samart Skills” project in conjunction with the government, educational institutions, and the commercial sector. The objective of the initiative is to assist in the development of highly trained digital employees, who are essential to the expansion of the digital economy.
It also addresses the issue of varying digital skill levels among individuals. Therefore, a private partner that provided student scholarships made it possible for Thais to obtain the education they required to obtain employment in the market.
In addition, vocational students who are interested in this curriculum can attend lessons for free to expand their knowledge and skills with a relevant programme, thereby increasing their employment opportunities.
The Thai digital industry and society have witnessed significant expansion in recent years; therefore, this effort is valuable to extend the Thailand 4.0 policy and produce highly skilled digital personnel, as required by the current and future markets.