AROUND 400,000 displaced workers will need additional training to boost their chances of getting hired during the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay disclosed these are the workers among the 1.4 million unemployed, who lack the necessary in-demand skills to be rehired in the more online-oriented labor market.
“Digital skills is most demanded by the labor market under the new normal,” Tutay told BusinessMirror in a Viber message.
“This is reflected in the Jobsfit Updated LMI [Labor Market Information] report we released last year,” she added.
Based from the updated report, digital literacy (word processing, spreadsheet and electronic mail management skills) was the second most in demand qualifies employers look for the applicants next to financial literacy.
Others in demand are qualities sought by employers during the pandemic are occupational safety and health skills, integrity and stress tolerance.
In an online forum last week, Tutay reiterated how the pandemic hastened companies to “digitize” their operations making digital literacy a must among their personnel.
To address the skills gaps of workers, Tutay said they included provisions in the pending National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS), which aims to consolidate all existing government programs to preserve and create jobs.
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) said it has enough budget this year for the training of 358,000 learners.
The Tesda, however, noted its trainings will also cover other skills which are also in-demand during the pandemic such as those related logistics as deliver services, which recently became popular.
Tutay said of the P4.5-trillion 2021 General Appropriations Act, P1.4 trillion will be covered by the NERS.
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