Middle skills programs that incorporate decentralized and flexible middle skills development mechanisms and improved access to financial assistance for training can ensure these meet industry demands and prepare the workforce for the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR), according to local researchers.
These are among the recommendations in a policy note published by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) authored by University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman assistant professor Saddam Bazer, UP science education specialist Ivy Mejia, University of Santo Tomas College of Education assistant dean and associate professor Louie Dasas, and Organizational Development, People and Culture Department of Round Earth Philippines Inc. head Richard Monteverde.
Bazer, Mejia, Dasas and Monteverde said flexible middle skills development mechanisms include providing tax-incentivized training programs or government subsidies for adults seeking to reskill or upskill, particularly in digital literacy, green technologies, and information and communications technology.
They said the creation of microcredentials and online learning systems should be encouraged to allow employees of varying educational backgrounds, especially older workforce members, to acquire new skills at their own pace.
“Collectively, these approaches aim to enhance training engagement, promote skill development, and improve job outcomes for graduates within six months to a year after completing their training,” the researchers added.
The policy note also pushed for the strengthening of institutional capacity for advanced skills training and promoting lifelong learning initiatives.
Led by the Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and local government units, the researchers said, this initiative can be supported by improving access to financial assistance for training through subsidies, grants, and low-interest loans, particularly for individuals pursuing entrepreneurship, technical skills, and industry-specific programs.
“Access to microfinance and business development services must be expanded, particularly in rural areas and informal sectors. These services should also target individuals with the potential to train other entrepreneurs or generate employment, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Agriculture,” they said.
The paper further underscored the importance of establishing collaborative funding and resource-sharing mechanisms for middle skills development.
“Industries and LGUs should be encouraged to cocreate and cofund the specific middle-skills requirements of their localities,” it said.
The researchers said the adoption of industry-driven and locally contextualized definitions for middle skills is also imperative, adding that the Philippine Qualifications Framework and the Philippine Skills Framework can effectively apply this regionally contextualized and industry-driven concept.
The policy note further said middle-skill pathways present viable career alternatives despite a mismatch between the training demands for middle skills and employment outcomes.
To improve training programs, it said there is a need to invest in comprehensive research to inform middle skills development strategies, develop and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation framework for middle skills programs, and strengthen inter-agency coordination and governance for national skills development.
