VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Geneva: Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Manpower, Afriansyah Noor, has stressed the importance of international collaboration to upskill the workforce in the ASEAN region. Afriansyah expressed his appreciation to the Malaysian Minister of Human Resources while attending the Networking Sharing Session for ASEAN High-Tea organised by the Malaysian Ministry of Human Resources, Geneva, Tuesday (11/6). "Amid global pressures, investment in human resources is crucial," said Deputy Minister of Manpower, Afriansyah.

Afriansyah emphasised that the government should prioritise developing workers' skills, especially for vulnerable groups such as youth, women, people with disabilities, low-income workers, and those working in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). "By focusing on skills upgrading, we can create a resilient workforce that is ready to face the challenges of the future," Afriansyah said.

The Networking Sharing Session for ASEAN High-Tea was a forum for ASEAN countries to exchange insights on important initiatives such as the Training Skills Fund and the ASEAN Year of Skills 2025. Afriansyah appreciated Malaysia's efforts to promote the Training Skills Fund as a model that can be adopted by other countries in the region. "This initiative shows how important coordinated efforts are to address the skills gap and promote lifelong learning," Afriansyah said.

Malaysia's plan to hold an ASEAN Training Fund Summit also received a positive response from Afriansyah. According to him, the summit will be an opportunity to address issues of access to quality education, skills mismatch, and labour mobility barriers in ASEAN. "By involving experts and stakeholders, we can seek innovative solutions and mobilise the necessary resources for workforce development," Afriansyah explained.

Afriansyah also highlighted the importance of Malaysia's National Human Capital Conference & Exhibition 2024 (NHCCE 2024), which will discuss the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the future of work. "We must prepare the ASEAN workforce for the changes brought about by AI by providing relevant skills," Afriansyah said.

NHCCE 2024 will be a forum to share best practices in reskilling and upskilling, as well as encourage international collaboration in the development of AI solutions. Furthermore, Afriansyah stressed the importance of partnerships with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to address global labour challenges. "ASEAN can leverage on the ILO's expertise in labour market policies to promote decent work and lifelong learning," Afriansyah added.

The collaboration is expected to enhance ASEAN's capacity to address the skills gap and economic transformation. Afriansyah also emphasised the need for more massive access to affordable education, vocational training and quality labour market information. "We must work together to ensure that workers have the skills needed, including digital literacy, green technology, and technical skills," he said.

This collaboration is important to protect regional and global labour mobility and ensure adaptation to changing economic demands. Concluding his speech, Deputy Minister Afriansyah expressed Indonesia's support for NHCCE 2024 and looked forward to participating in the event. He also thanked Malaysia for organising this sharing session and emphasised the importance of this forum in strengthening cooperation on competitive HR development in ASEAN. "Let us together invest in our most valuable asset: our people. By working together and sharing our experiences, we can build a brighter future for all ASEAN citizens," Afriansyah concluded.

Source: Indonesian Ministry of Manpower