Young Futuremakers Thailand – Promoting Youth Employability

Programme background

The COVID-19 crisis has led to a massive disruption of the economy and labour market in Thailand, with disproportionate impact on youth employment. Young people experience job disruptions, disruptions in education and training, and difficulties transitioning from school to work and moving between jobs.

Even before the COVID-19 crisis, young people (aged 15-24) in Thailand were in a vulnerable labour market situation with young women more likely to be unemployed. Despite improved educational accessibility for youth, there is a mismatch between skills that youth possess and the skills that employers seek. Young persons with disabilities (PWD) are even less likely to be in employment or conditions of decent work when compared to their peers. The COVID-19 crisis has further increased the vulnerability of those already at a disadvantage in the labour market, including young PWD and young women from low-income households.

The socio-economic impact of COVID-19, labour market trends and the demographic shift towards an ageing society in Thailand highlight the need to promote youth employability, skills development and decent and productive employment opportunities for young people in the socio-economic recovery phase of COVID-19.

Objectives

The project is a part of the Futuremakers by Standard Chartered initiative and takes a systemic approach in supporting disadvantaged young women and young persons with disabilities in the labour market, through the provision of demand-led technical skills training, employability training, career guidance and job placements. The project aims at:

1. improving employment-related knowledge and skills of disadvantaged young women and young persons with disabilities;
2. leveraging and strengthening institutional resources and capacities to provide tailored skills training and employment services; and
3. engaging employers’ and workers’ organizations on inclusive workplaces, policies, and practices to support the employment of excluded young people.

Together, the three project components seek to improve the employability of young women and young PWD, particularly young persons with visual impairments, through skills, knowledge, and competencies that will enhance their ability to enter the labour market, secure and retain a job, cope with change, and be better prepared for a rapidly changing world of work.

The project is implemented in close collaboration with local partners and key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Labour (MOL) through the Department of Employment (DOE) and Department of Skill Development (DSD), as well as the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS), Employers’ Confederation of Thailand (ECOT) and sectoral business associations, Workers’ organizations as well as enterprises, communities, and persons with disabilities associations.

For further information please contact:

Ms Kawita Niwatananun
National Project Coordinator
Young Futuremakers Thailand – Promoting Youth Employability
Email: [email protected]