扩大劳动力弹性和适应性：东盟包容性终身学习体系

Policy Brief ScalingWorkforce Resilience andAdaptability: Toward Inclusive LifelongLearning Systems in ASEAN Key Messages: • ASEAN’s labour market is facingunprecedentedtransformationdrivenby three intersectingmegatrends:digitalisation,thegreentransition,and the gig/freelance economy. These trendspresentnew opportunities butalso introduce significant risks ofexclusion and mismatch. Romora Edward Sitorus and Rashesh Shrestha •In response to the scale, speed,and complexity of these changes,ASEANMember States mustpursue coordinated and inclusivereskilling and upskilling strategiesthatare scalable,flexible,andresponsiveto shifting employment demands. ASEAN’s workforce is undergoing profound disruption driven bydigitalisation, the green transition, and the rise of the gig economy–trends that are exposing substantial skills gaps across keydemographic groups. While regional initiatives like the ASEAN HRDRoadmap represent important starting points, they often fall shortof aligning with evolving labour market needs. Scalable solutionssuch as micro-credentials, backed by data-driven governance andtargeted financial assistance, can help bridge this divide. Notablenationalprogrammes, including Indonesia’s Kartu PrakerjaandSingapore’sSkillsFuture,illustrate how adaptive and inclusiveworkforce strategies can address these emerging challenges. Tofoster resilience and competitiveness, ASEAN governments mustelevate digital training, enhance public-private coordination, anddesign inclusive funding mechanisms aimed at closing skills gapsand preparing workers for an increasingly dynamic economy. •Meeting ASEAN’s human capitalgoals requires a multi-prongedskillsdevelopmentstrategycapableofenablingrapidworkforceadaptation in theface of unpredictable economicconditions. •Relying solely on traditional highereducation pathways is no longersufficient.ASEAN must investinlifelong learning,promoteflexibleupskilling models,andmainstreammicro-credentialsas a central element of workforcedevelopment. Labour Market Challenges in ASEAN Amongst the numerous forces reshaping ASEAN’s labour markets,the proliferation of digital technology, the green transition, and therise of the gig and freelance economy warrant particular attentionfrom policymakers. The widespread adoption of digital technologiesand the shift toward greener economies are opening new employmentopportunities, but they also demand rapid workforce transformation toensure that skills align with emerging roles. In the case of digitalisation,although automation is projected to create more jobs than it displaces,nearly two-thirds of youth are not receiving adequate digital skillseducation in schools – with especially limited exposure in countriessuch as Lao PDR and Myanmar (UNICEF East Asia and Pacific RegionalOffice, 2021). Similarly, the green transition – anticipated to generate30 million new jobs in Southeast Asia by 2030 (Asian DevelopmentBank, 2023) – will require workers to develop the specialised skillsdemanded by low-carbon industries. Without widespread access toreskilling initiatives, many individuals currently employed in non-renewable energy sectors risk losing their livelihoods. •International good practices–such asSkillsFuturein SingaporeandKartu Prakerja in Indonesia–demonstrate that combiningdigitaltrainingplatforms,micro-credentials, andfinancialincentives can yield inclusive andadaptive skills ecosystems. •Integratingmicro-credentialsintoASEAN’s regional skillsagendaoffers a high-potentialavenueto scale up workforcereadiness.However,successfulimplementationwillrequirestrongpolitical will,regulatoryinnovation,andthoughtfulprogrammedesign to ensureeffectiveness and equity. Romora Edward SitorusChiefEconomist,PMO KartuPrakerja,Coordinating Ministryfor Economic Affairs of Indonesia Additionally, the talent-on-demand or gig/freelancing economy isemerging as one of the fastest-growing labour market segments, withan estimated 154–435 million online gig workers globally (Fazio etal., 2025). A review of Google Trends data reveals increasing interest Rashesh ShresthaEconomist,Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia(ERIA) in freelancing across ASEAN, as reflected by risingsearch activity for ‘Upwork,’ one of the world’sleading freelancing platforms – particularly in theaftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic (Figure 1).Freelanceknowledge work facilitated by onlineplatformsoffers flexible,global employment opportunities for skilled individuals. With the rightinvestment in skill development, ASEAN’s ‘digitalnative’youth can broaden their employmentprospects beyond domestic labour markets and tapinto the global digital economy. Given the speed, scale, and complexity of labourmarket changes, ASEAN Member States must adopta proactive and coordinated approach to inclusive,scalablereskilling and upskilling programmesthatcan support employment transitions andfoster sustainable economic growth. A survey ofglobal employers operating in ASEAN – focused on work