ASEAN youth value internships, OJT

The young respondents in the survey believe that on-the-job training and internships are either equally important or more important than training in school.

Young people in countries under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) want more lifelong learning, on-the-job training (OJT) and internships, and will often change jobs in order to learn new skills, according to a new survey by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The survey of 56,000 citizens aged between 15 and 35 from six ASEAN countries including the Philippines found that ASEAN youths understand the potential for technology to disrupt job markets and place a high value on skills development and training.

Some 9 percent of respondents say their current skills are already outdated, while 52 percent believe they must “update their skills constantly.” Only 18 percent believe their current skills will stay relevant for most of their lives.

They also believe that on-the-job training and internships are either equally important or more important than training in school.

This suggests a healthy approach among ASEAN youths to having a “growth mindset,” and the need to embrace lifelong learning in place of receiving education and training only in their early years, according to the research paper released last month.

However, the youths reported only limited opportunities for formal on-the-job training. “Youths working for big multinational companies say they are more likely to receive formal on-the-job training than those who work for small and medium-sized enterprises or family businesses,” said the research.

Moreover, asked for their reasons for changing jobs, the number one reason given is “for better opportunities to learn and develop.”

For businesses, providing more on-the-job training and internships is clearly both an imperative and a big opportunity to attract and retain workers, said the report.