Growth path for Asian countries requires moving from a low-technology and skills model to a higher technology skills model. This presentation shares some lessons learned from the Canadian experience in supporting development in Asia. Actual cases of student-focused and economy-responsive education initiatives are discussed as well.

Strengthening the facility and capacity development program in vocational education may help improve student competitiveness. The gap between education process and industrial demand can be addressed through interventions such as internship program, tracer study, and curriculum collaboration.

In this presentation, Zainal Arief shares the experience of Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya’s Center of Technology in empowering their vocational education students.

Effective and successful skills programs can bridge the gap between demand and supply of skills by forging partnerships with employers. Learn how university-industry linkage works in Hunan Province in the People’s Republic of China, and how a cooperation platform is beneficial for the government, vocational groups, industry groups, and other concerned parties.

A skills training program in India is known for its industry-specific curriculum that uses no visual aids, rolls out comprehensive on-the-job training, and provides state-of-the-art laboratories. Learn from the experience of Tech Mahindra Foundation, and how it has been helping beneficiaries increase their employability.

What can we learn from the vocational and education training (VET) experience of Indonesia? In this presentation, Martin Stottele, Head of Economic Development Cooperation Office Embassy of Switzerland in Indonesia,

shares the opportunities and threats in the Indonesian Polytechnic system at present. He also enumerates the lessons that others can learn from the Swiss VET engagement in Indonesia.

How can mobile services help the workforce remain relevant? How can we make education services be both accessible and fun?

Discover Funzi, and how it is revolutionizing learning by delivering mobile-first designed content for those who want to acquire new skills to improve their lives. This Finland-based mobile service provider increases awareness on entrepreneurship and offers it as a viable career option for its learners.

With unmet training needs owing to a large gap in training capacity, Bangladesh faces a shortage in skills supply resulting to low productivity and income. Introducing performance-based financing, the Skills for Employment Investment Project in Bangladesh involved industry associations in priority sectors to ensure large-scale public-private partnerships.

Educational and skills challenges constrain the development of human capital in South and Southeast Asia as the region catches up with the rest of the world. The introduction of technical and vocational education and training programs helps prepare new entrants to the workforce by providing quality education and skills development.