An advocacy group expressed optimism that the government will double down on equipping the youth with the proper skills to become productive members of society.

“We support the administration’s push to provide learners with the right skills training needed to enter the workforce,” Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) Executive Director Lovelaine Basillote said.

This is after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. recognized that the Philippines’ best asset is its workforce during the New York Stock Exchange Economic Forum.

Marcos further stressed that his administration is focused on improving the country’s education system and investing in the youth by giving them the proper training.

“With the changing economic landscape, it is imperative that the country’s workforce are not only educated but also skilled and trained for the changing economy,” Basillote said.

PBEd has been at the forefront in pushing for broader private-sector participation in the education and training of young workers to ensure that they are informed by industry skills needs.

The advocacy group’s workforce development programs engage industry, academe, government, and other education and employment stakeholders to improve human capital development in the country, especially those who have limited opportunities for upskilling and gainful employment.

PBEd's flagship workforce development program is YouthWorks PH (YWPH), a private-sector driven youth employability project implemented with the United States Agency for International Development.

Launched in 2018, YWPH provides the youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET) with life skills training, technical-vocational training, and mentoring.

The program’s private sector partners provide on-the-job training which includes a training stipend so that the youth can earn while they learn.

The project has so far engaged over 70 partners providing more than 13,000 training and employment opportunities in high-value sectors such as construction, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, logistics, and information technology.

PBEd noted that over 3,500 youth NEET have been placed in the YWPH program. Furthermore, 62 percent of surveyed program graduates were able to find new employment and 88 percent of trainees are no longer considered NEET after completing, despite a weakened economy during the pandemic.

“The government must work closely with the private sector in order to come up with scalable policies and programs geared toward building a generation of Filipinos with higher learning outcomes, and accelerating economic growth,” Basillote said.

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority's July 2022 Labor Force Survey, PBEd noted that the youth (15 to 24 years old) unemployment rate was at 11.9 percent, lower than the reported rates of 15.9 percent in July 2021 and 12.3 percent in April 2022.

“The right mix of education and training is key to continue the downward trend in youth unemployment,” Basillote said. “Investing in human capital will create limitless potential for the country,” she added.