Participants at the session (Photo: VNA) The information was revealed by Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep at a press conference on the outcomes of the APEC High-level Dialogue on Human Resources Development in the Digital Age on the same day.
The framework proposes a group of suitable policy orientations and measures to support the APEC member economies in preparing labourers for joining the employment market amid opportunities and challenges from the fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), he said.
Delegates agreed that to grasp opportunities and address challenges from the revolution, APEC should be used as a regional forum on policy dialogue and cooperation in human resources development in the digital age.
The specific objectives of the framework are to provide high-level policy orientations to strengthen regional collaboration in human resources development in the digital age; and draw out common challenges in the context of technological changes.
It also aims to identify and implement activities in priority cooperation areas where APEC can contribute supplementary value such as the future of work in the digital age and labour market policies, education and vocational training, and social security.
The representatives from the 21 APEC economies proposed the framework be realised between 2017 and 2025, and ministers in charge of human resources development will assess the implementation process in 2022.
They also approved a joint statement on the High-level Dialogue on Human Resources Development in the Digital Age, Diep said.
Responding to reporters’ queries on the impacts of the Industry 4.0 on the labour market, the Deputy Minister said the revolution will affect almost all groups of workers, especially low-skill labourers. Many traditional occupations will disappear to be replaced by many new ones (in the areas of digitalisation, programming and data protection).
He noted the need for training new skills to help labourers adapt to changes caused by the digital revolution as well as encouraging them to engage in life-long learning to have more job options.
APEC economies should develop a social security floor to protect labourers, especially vulnerable groups, with the goal of “no one is left behind”, Diep said.-VNA
VNA
