THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Lack of skills ‘key factor’ in unemployment

Lack of skills ‘key factor’ in unemployment

Lack of skills, unrealistic expectations leave many young people without a job and few options for future: Adecco

THAILAND never seems to be short of job opportunities, yet many of its citizens are unemployed because they either do not have the skills or have unrealistic expectations of the job, a top executive of Adecco Group disclosed yesterday. 
“Many fresh graduates rush to big, famous firms without really understanding themselves or the jobs they are applying for,” said Tidarat Kanchanawat, regional director of Thailand and Vietnam Adecco Group, a leading recruitment agency. 
She added that even if these graduates were given the job, they would not be able to adjust themselves well and hence faced the risk of being unemployed later on. 
According to her, the supply of human resources in Thailand does not match the actual demand in each industry. For instance, many industries are sorely lacking in skilled labour or specialists, while several others have an oversupply. 
“Thailand also faces a talent shortage,” Tidarat said, adding that the most-needed skill these days is related to data analysis or data briefing.
A survey conducted by Adecco last September also found that the three top careers in Thailand, judging by the demand, are in sales, accounting and IT development. There is always a demand for people in the first two jobs, because all companies have these positions available. 
Also, demand for IT developers is on the rise as Thailand has entered the digital era, with many people relying on digital devices more than before. 
Hence, there is a serious need for IT developers such as software engineers and data scientists. However, most fresh graduates in Thailand prefer applying for marketing positions and many end up failing to get a job. 
Asked how Thailand’s unemployment problem can be tackled, Tidarat suggested that the public and private sectors explore and pursue solutions together. 
She added that efforts should be made in the educational sector to help students identify their field of interest and passion as soon as possible.
“Such moves are good for the sustainable development of Thailand,” she added. 
Another prominent trend Adecco discovered is that many young people prefer to start their own business. 
“So, they hold down a job for a short time,” Tidarat said, adding that though such trends reflect young people’s courage and entrepreneurship, not all will be successful. “A lot depends on their preparation and competitiveness,” she said.
 
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