Pandemic or no pandemic, young people need more skills training!

As graduation day approaches, a single question lingers in the minds of 21-year-old Raymond John Lonzaga and his classmates at Leyte Normal University in the Philippines’ Eastern Visayas region. Will they be able to land their first jobs?

They will be part of the class of 2022, students who have relied on remote learning and online training since the pandemic hit in 2020. They worry they might not be competitive in the job market because they still need to acquire and improve skills demanded by the job market.

“During the pandemic, studying has been a big leap from the usual routine that I have. Distance learning is one routine that we have been doing,” said Raymond.

“I need technical skills and cloud computing skills because right now we are very dependent on the internet and AI (artificial intelligence) technology,” he said, adding that it’s also important for him to acquire soft skills such as adaptability and flexibility.

I think we really need more training with regards to the jobs we will have in the future."

21-year-old student Raymond John Lonzaga

As a science and social work student, Raymond aspires to be a registered forensic social worker - a profession that provides diagnosis, treatment and other recommendations for the criminal and juvenile justice populations.

“I think we really need more training with regards to the jobs we will have in the future,” he said.

Leyte Normal University offers technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes in the Visayas regions.

Like Raymond, many students around the world have their own stories of having encountered challenges when it comes to learning during the pandemic. However, hope is on the horizon as students will soon start going back to school.

Today, 24 January, marks International Day of Education 2022. With the theme ‘Changing Course, Transforming Education’, the United Nations day aims to strengthen and welcome the revival of education, a sector that has failed to advance among national priorities due to the pandemic.

Globally, the pandemic has profoundly disrupted education systems, training and the transition to employment for young people like Raymond, making it harder for them to find a job, continue their education or start a business.

A 2020 global survey, conducted by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Bank, found that TVET and apprenticeship programmes were hit hard by the pandemic.

The survey pointed out that while more than two-thirds of TVET providers reported they were delivering training entirely by remote methods during the pandemic, very few in low-income countries were able to make that transition.

“For middle-income countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, making the transition has been a real challenge,” said Jordi Prat Tuca, Regional Programme Coordinator of the ILO-UK Skills for Prosperity in South-East Asia Programme (SfP-SEA).

The survey also highlighted how the lack of resilience of TVET systems and the digital divide can exacerbate the pre-existing challenges in those systems.

“Prior to the pandemic, there had already been a number of challenges faced by TVET and skills development systems in improving access and participation in learning among vulnerable groups. The pandemic increased the urgent need to support skills and TVET systems, improving their capacity to provide affordable, high-quality and relevant education and training for all people,” Mr Prat Tuca said.

To address these challenges, the ILO-UK programme has worked closely with governments, employers’ organizations, trade unions and other partners in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines since 2019, helping them improve the equity, quality, relevance and cost-effectiveness of their TVET and skills development systems, added Mr Prat Tuca.

“Improving skills development and TVET systems in a way that enhances their quality and makes them more responsive to industry demand and inclusive for all can help young people make a smoother transition from school to work, obtain decent jobs and enjoy opportunities for career progression. “This is crucial, with or without the pandemic,” said Mr Prat Tuca.