ASEAN+3 Discusses Employment Policy and Vocational Competency Development Innovation Measures in the COVID-19 Era

'2020 ASEAN+3 Vocational Skills Development Forum' Held on 17-18

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The "2020 ASEAN+3 Vocational Skills Development Forum," co-hosted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the World Bank and organized by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, will be held for two days starting on the 17th.

This forum, themed "Vocational Skills Development and Employment in the Era of COVID-19: Innovation and Technology," will take place at the Sheraton D Cube City Hotel in Seoul. Over 100 participants, including policymakers from the 10 ASEAN member countries, China, Japan, and international organization experts, will attend lectures and discussions.

Beginning with a keynote speech by Toby Linden, Director of the East Asia Education Department at the World Bank, the forum will feature lectures and panel discussions on three topics: ▲ Vocational skills development and employment in the era of COVID-19 and beyond ▲ Innovation in vocational skills development to restore vocational technical education and training systems during the COVID-19 era ▲ Employment insurance and employment service policies in response to COVID-19.

Director Toby Linden will deliver a keynote speech on innovative approaches to vocational skills development for COVID-19 response and support measures for vulnerable groups in various countries.

Michael Fung, Vice President of the Singapore SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), will introduce Singapore’s vocational skills development policies in response to COVID-19 and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Lectures on the Korean government’s employment retention and income support policies aimed at protecting jobs and vulnerable groups were also shared as key case studies.

No Gil-jun, International Cooperation Officer at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, attended the opening ceremony and introduced Korea’s employment and labor policies and the Korean New Deal policy designed to proactively respond to the future of work after COVID-19.

He stated, "In response to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and economic structural changes toward new technologies and industries, we plan to significantly expand investment in people, including workforce training to facilitate transitions to new jobs and bridging the digital divide."

He also said, "Even in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and post-COVID-19, we will actively share Korea’s policy experiences with ASEAN+3 countries to contribute to sustainable development in Asia."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.