Gatchalian on sustaining post COVID-19 recovery: make workforce ready for 'Industry 4.0'

In sustaining the country's recovery from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Win Gatchalian pressed the importance of equipping learners and the workforce with the needed skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0).

Gatchalian cited the need for the education sector, including K to 12 schools, to ensure the readiness of learners for the "jobs of the future," especially as industries adopt more technologies to accelerate automation and digitalization. The World Economic Forum's (WEF) The Future of Jobs Report released in 2020 enumerated the Top 15 Skills for 2025, which include analytical thinking and innovation, active learning and learning strategies, complex problem-solving, and various skills related to technology use.

The same report from the WEF also pointed out that across industries, there is an increasing demand for job roles such as Data Analysts and Scientists, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Specialists, Big Data Specialists, Digital Marketing and Strategy Specialists, and Process Automation Specialists.

The WEF report, however, identified perceived barriers to the adoption of new technologies. For the companies surveyed in the report, top three barriers include skills gaps in the local labor market (55.4%), inability to attract special talent (46.7%), and skills gaps among organization's leadership (41.4%).

The Philippines, for example, is struggling to meet the demand for data science and analytics (DSA) professionals. A 2020 research paper by state think-tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) noted that in 2019, 10 DSA-related undergraduate programs produced 176,597 professionals of 10 various disciplines. However, only 62,583 or 38% were assessed to be ready to shift to DSA.

"We have to put emphasis on the skills that we need to support the jobs in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and in a digitalized world. Businesses are adopting to it to navigate through the post pandemic world," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

"Everything is going to be about critical thinking, analysis, and motivation. These are the skills that our basic education institutions should look at because I really believe that all of these skills should be built at an early age," he added.

In ensuring workforce preparedness for Industry 4.0, Gatchalian also cited the example of Singapore's SkillsFuture, a statutory board under the Ministry of Education, which offers programs and subsidies to reskill and upskill students, employers, and employees at various stages of their careers.

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Kahandaan sa 'Industry 4.0' mahalaga sa pagbangon ng bansa mula sa COVID-19 pandemic—Gatchalian

Upang paigtingin ang pagbangon ng ekonomiya mula sa pinsala ng COVID-19, isinusulong ni Senador Win Gatchalian na maiangat ang kakayahan at kahandaan ng mga mag-aaral at manggagawa ng bansa para sa Fourth Industrial Revolution o Industry 4.0.

Ani Gatchalian, dapat itong tutukan ng sektor ng edukasyon, kabilang ang mga paaralan sa K to 12, upang matiyak na may sapat na kakayahan ang mga mag-aaral para sa mga itinuturing na "jobs of the future," lalo na't maraming mga industriya ang gumagamit ng mas maraming teknolohiya para sa automation at digitalization. Ayon sa The Future of Jobs Report na inilabas ng World Economic Forum (WEF) noong 2020, kabilang sa Top 15 Skills for 2025 ang mga may kinalaman sa paggamit ng teknolohiya. Kabilang din dito ang analytical thinking and innovation, active learning and learning strategies, at complex problem-solving.

Ibinahagi rin ng naturang ulat na lumalawak ang pangangailangan ng mga industriya para sa mga trabahong tulad ng Data Analysts and Scientists, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Specialists, Big Data Specialists, Digital Marketing and Strategy Specialists, at Process Automation Specialists.

Ngunit ibinahagi rin ng WEF ang ilang mga sagabal sa paggamit ng mga bagong teknolohiya. Ayon sa mga kumpanyang naging bahagi ng ulat, ang mga pangunahing sagabal na naitala ay ang skills gaps sa local labor market (55.4%), hirap sa paghikayat sa mga may special talent o kakayahan (46.7%), at skills gaps pagdating sa mga lider ng organisasyon (41.4%).

Ang Pilipinas, halimbawa, ay hirap sa pagkakaroon ng sapat na mga data science and analytics (DSA) professionals. Ayon sa isang 2020 research paper ng Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), mahigit isang daan at pitumpung libo (176,597) ang nagtapos mula sa sampung undergraduate programs na may kaugnayan sa DSA noong 2019. Sa kabila nito, wala pang apatnapung (38) porsyento ang itinuturing na handa sa larangan ng DSA.

"Kailangang tutukan natin ang mga kakayahang kinakailangan sa Fourth Industrial Revolution at isang digitized na daigdig. Ang mga negosyo ay sumasabay na rito upang makasabay sa mga pagbabagong dulot at pinabilis ng pandemya," ani Gatchalian, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

"Higit nating kakailanganin ang critical thinking, analysis, at innovation. Ito ang mga kakayahang dapat tutukan ng ating mga paaralan sa basic education dahil naniniwala akong dapat paigtingin ang mga kakayahang ito sa murang edad pa lamang," dagdag ng senador.

Sa pagtiyak sa kahandaan ng mga manggagawa para sa Industry 4.0, ibinahagi rin ni Gatchalian ang halimbawa ng SkillsFuture sa Singapore, isang statutory board sa ilalim ng Ministry of Education na may mga programa at ayudang inaalok para sa reskilling at upskilling ng mga mag-aaral, mga employer, at mga empleyado na nasa iba't ibang yugto ng kanilang propesyon.