The ASEAN high-level conference on Human Resource Development for the Changing World of Work was held virtually on September 16 by Vietnam as the ASEAN Chair 2020, with the participation of 150 delegates.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (centre) addresses the event

At the opening ceremony, ASEAN labour and education ministers launched the Roadmap of ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work, along with the ASEAN Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council.

Human resources development is one of Vietnam’s priorities and the high-level conference viewed it as a highlight in its ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020. It was also the first conference seeing the participation of ASEAN labour and education ministers.

Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said the world has witnessed major changes such as digital transformation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, non-traditional security issues and the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.

Human resource development in the revolution has been discussed at various global and regional forums, he noted.

The Deputy PM underlined that new mechanisms are needed to help all labourers grab opportunities and come to know their responsibilities to acquire new knowledge and skills, stressing that human resources development is among the three key priorities of the ASEAN Community stated in the ASEAN Charter.

Efforts in the field must be further promoted to ensure the successful implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on Human Resources Development for the Changing World of Work, he reiterated.

In his remarks, ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi affirmed that to raise the regional educational quality, attention must be paid to both general education and vocational training, along with fostering digital skills to maximise workers’ capacity in the current technological era.