By Salawati Haji Yahya
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 30 OCT – Workshop Closing the Gap Workshop 2024 which took place over two days recently at the Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok Ploenchit, brought together stakeholders across ASEAN to address the pressing skills gap in the agri-food sector.
The workshop organized by the Thai Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) in collaboration with SEAMEO VOCTECH and the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package-Higher Education Program (SCOPE-HE), among other things, aims to coordinate Technical Education and Vocational Training (TVET) with the needs of the agrifood industry is growing.
At the workshop, the Director of the Public Sector Development Division at OVEC, Dr Rangsan Thepmondhri, emphasized Thailand’s leadership in this initiative by stating, “Thailand is proud to take a leading role in advancing TVET cooperation throughout ASEAN”.
He explained the role through initiatives such as the workshop which shows a commitment to support the development of a skilled and future-ready workforce in the agri-food sector.
The management team and officers from SEAMEO VOCTECH, led by the Director of the Center, Haji Norjemee bin Jenek, together with the Center’s Research Division, Dr Paryono and Dr Hartini Mashod, presented the preliminary findings of the study Employability of Vocational Graduates in the Agri-Food Sector in ASEAN for EU-ASEAN SCOPE-HE.
The presentation was delivered by government representatives, TVET institutions and private sector officials from ASEAN member countries.
The workshop was facilitated by Dr Paryono, whose research provided the basis for discussions on mapping key issues, identifying skills gaps and exploring best practices in employability through presentations and group discussions.
Over the next four years, a series of ongoing workshops will discuss solutions, monitor progress and will culminate in a final stage showcasing best practices and providing strategic recommendations for the future.
The workshop is part of a multi-year series under the SCOPE-HE program with annual events planned across ASEAN and the last workshop to be held in 2027.
