Project Description
This Short Course facilitated an exchange of knowledge and lessons learned between ASEAN countries and Australia, including between the two different cohorts. Fifty participants from seven countries including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam spent two weeks connecting with Australian organisations, analysing data sources to anticipate future skill needs while establishing linkages with Australian institutions across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Canberra.
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
Participants’ organisations and agencies included: Various Departments from the Ministry of Education; Ministry of Industry; National Development and Planning Agency; National Employment Agency; Institute Brunei Technical Education; Khon Kaen University; National University of Laos; State Polytechnic of Batam; University of the Philippines; Vietnam National University of Forestry; Ministry of Manpower; Cagayan de Oro Technical Vocational Institute and more.
Outcomes to Date
This short course helped participants to:
• Identify ways to support TVET regional mobility to strengthen the comparability of selected sectors in ASEAN and reduce the gap between the demand and supply in skills;
• Explore options to strengthen labour market information systems in ASEAN member states towards achieving greater labour mobility across ASEAN member states;
• Study and document best practices in assessing labour market needs and employment opportunities, linking with skills requirements of growing industries;
• Identify ways to obtain and use quality labour market information, including skills forecasting to support lifelong learning initiatives (ASEAN HRD Roadmap);
• Explore ways to enhance capacities of governments, educational institutions, business sector and other stakeholders to conduct skills forecasts to promote labour market-oriented education and trainings (ASEAN HRD Roadmap);
• Explore effective models of cooperation or sharing of learning management information.
Project Significance
The short course supported the following elements of the ASEAN TVET Council work plan:
• Outcome 1.1, Enhanced labour market information systems and skills forecasting for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and other emerging trends;
• Outcome 3, Enhanced capacity of TVET personnel (political decision-makers, managers, teachers and trainers at schools and in companies).
The short course was delivered under Australia’s new Digital Transformation and Future Skills program, which was announced as part of a package to support Australia’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN. This topic was chosen as it was identified by the ASEAN TVET Council as a priority for its cooperation with Australia under the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This short course enabled participants to connect with Australian government agencies, including the National Skills Commission (which will soon be Jobs and Skills Australia). The National Skills Commission has been using new tools and methodologies (such as Nowcasting and the creation of new Jobs and Education Data Infrastructure) which incorporate artificial intelligence and algorithms to move beyond traditional labour market forecasting and skills mapping. Course Leaders worked with the National Skills Commission to share this expertise with ASEAN.
These elements contributed to the achievement of quality education (4); decent work and economic growth (8); industry innovation and infrastructure (9); reduced inequalities (10); partnerships for the goals (17).