LAST year, about 4.5 million Filipinos became unemployed as the country suffered one of the worst job crisis because of the Covid-19 pandemic and extended lockdowns. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Labor Force Survey (LFS), the unemployment rate jumped to 10.4 percent—the highest in 15 years, even reaching a high of 17.6 percent in April as business operations were forced to shutdown as various parts of the country were placed under quarantine.
Covid-19 brought significant disruption to the global economy, and with it came permanent changes to the jobs landscape. Even as quarantine restrictions are being gradually eased, many found themselves unemployed or forced to shift to different careers. Some organizations streamlined their business functions, causing layoffs while others revamped, giving rise to the demand for professionals with a more diverse skills set. As we started working remotely, we saw a rise in demand for digital and soft skills, and rather than focus on credentials, employers began hiring based on skills.
As we move forward this 2021, workers and organizations need to know the emerging trends in the employment sector and what skills are needed to succeed in these roles. LinkedIn released a special edition of its yearly Emerging Jobs Report, titled “Jobs on the Rise,” to offer insights into the new employment landscape.
The following are the trends and in-demand jobs according to the report.
Consumers in Southeast Asia have gone increasingly digital: Technology has allowed people to work, stay connected to their loved ones and fulfill their daily needs like buying groceries, from the comfort of their own home. One in three digital service consumers in Southeast Asia were new to the service but 94 percent of these new digital users are likely to stick with the service moving forward. As a result, demand for workers with tech skills will remain or even grow, from specialized engineers, to cyber security talent and data analysts, software and technology roles, and cyber security roles.
E-commerce boomed in 2020: While travel and transport services suffered, e-commerce, online media and food delivery services surged. The roles created by this boom do not require traditional educational degrees, or advanced technological skills. The rise of e-commerce, for example, is fueling more demand in logistics for warehouse skilled talent. And it is these roles that may be filled by professionals of varying skills and experience. In fact, globally the majority of people who fill these roles often come from non-emerging jobs. As such, those in e-commerce, customer service, supply chain, business development and sales are going to be in demand.
Traditional roles have evolved: Jobs that were traditionally conducted in-person are now being done online and there was a growth in digital lending, education and healthtech services. With 70 percent of Southeast Asia now online, these sectors need to master the basics of technology, from communication tools, to social-media platforms and basic office software. This will give more opportunities to health care and medical support roles, health care and medical frontline roles, education roles, finance and insurance roles.
Brands have found new ways to connect with consumers, leading to a rise in demand for digital marketers and content creators: The shift online has brought about an evolution in how brands communication with their consumers. LinkedIn’s data shows a 48-percent increase in companies posting on the platform in June 2020, compared to a year earlier. This has led to growth in demand for digital marketers—professionals who seek to engage consumers effectively online—and digital content creators who are able to produce entertaining content across a range of channels. This opens opportunities for editors, copywriters, podcasters, YouTubers, video editors, public relations and digital marketing specialists.
During the lockdown days, I think I spent more time listening to podcasts than music and among my homegrown favorites are The Halo Halo Show with Rica Garcia and JC Teves, Good Times With Mo, and The Wrestling-Wrestling show.
I’ve always wanted to start a podcast version of this column and with the continued success of Podcast Network Asia (PNA), it seems that there are still a lot of opportunities for aspiring podcasters.
Since its inception in August 2019, PNA has provided a foundation for the growing podcast industry by making sure that creators and hosts have access to production support and monetization opportunities. Over the course of the pandemic, PNA has grown its roster to 93 shows. With four Spotify-exclusive shows, PNA is also home to the top podcasts in the Philippines, including Boiling Waters, Eve’s Drop, Kool Pals, and Walwal Sesh, and many more.
PNA recently received a new round of seed funding valued at $750,000 and the added capital can help extend PNA’s reach outside of the Philippines, exploring Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia for its expansion.
Part of the ambition behind PNA is to encourage more brands and advertisers to support podcasting as a channel to reach and engage their audience. Globally, podcast advertising has grown exponentially along with the increase of podcast shows which is estimated to be at $1 million.
From 2015 to 2020, podcast ad revenue grew exponentially from $69 million to a staggering $659 million. According to Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PwC, this growth shows little signs of stopping, with advertising revenue projected to surpass $1 billion in 2021.
“Podcasting is about to enter its golden age,” enthuses Ron Baetiong, CEO and cofounder of Podcast Network Asia.
“We are very excited with what this investment allows us to do—with the Philippines as the 6th fastest growing country in terms of listenership plus our own listenership, which already stands at 10 million. We can scale up and continue the momentum we’ve built in the Philippine podcasting industry and replicate it across the region.”