To address youth unemployment, the country must take advantage of its globally recognized brand and tourism industry to promote the ICT sector as an attractive Foreign Direct Investment destination. This is one of the recommendations of the report launched by the Labour ministry and the UNDP today. The report reassesses the needs for future skills and demand creation in the country.
Labour and Human Resources Minister Karma Dorji said, “the report provides important insights and recommendations for preparing our younger generation for the ‘future of work’ in the digital arena and also make Bhutan a potential destination for FDIs.” Lyonpo also added that it will go a long way in transforming the digital jobs landscape in Bhutan.
“The COVID pandemic has given acceleration to digital transformation and digital drives globally. We have seen good examples of young digital entrepreneurs coming up to contribute to some of the challenges faced by COVID. So we thought it’s a good opportunity to look at the potential for digital jobs in Bhutan,” said Azusa Kubota, the UNDP Resident Representative.
The Resident Representative also said the report covers various elements, including future skills required for Bhutanese youth which also need to be reflected in the ongoing education reforms and the demand creation.
The report launch event included a panel discussion on the theme “Digital Transformation: Creating a Skilled Workforce for a Digital Nation.” The panel, broadcast live on BBS TV, delved into key practical interventions that need to be implemented to build a home-grown technology-based innovation ecosystem.
Choni Dema