Addressing the Skills Gap: Upskilling and Reskilling for the Workplace in Asia

Exclusive interview with Dr. Fabi Carino a multi-awarded HR and Learning and Development Thought Leader. She is the Country HR Director of a healthcare shared service and an adjunct faculty at the Asian Institute of Management. She has led multinational and local organizations where she played a crucial role in shaping and executing HR and Talent Development strategies that aligned with the company's overall business objectives.  

Upskilling and reskilling are crucial for adapting to industry changes.  How can companies in Asia effectively assess the skills needed for future roles and tailor their upskilling programs accordingly?

Organizations must consider their vision and how they want to shape their industry to thrive in the next years. They must specify their final aim and determine whether they have the necessary resources to reach the ideal state. When it comes to resources, I believe that people are more important than technology. Are their competencies and skills relevant to achieving their current and future company goals? If the response is no, there is a call to action for them to develop their organizational capabilities and achieve business objectives. Capabilities, core competencies, and talents are three critical areas that must be equipped to accomplish the organization's goals. Re-skilling your staff or re-skilling personnel from various businesses is only one intervention. As we accelerate digitalization and AI, more areas will require reskilling. For example, current resources must be considered, and leadership abilities are my top priority.  

 Today's leadership skills must improve in the same way that a leader can manage their team members using technology. Leadership needs to advance. Above all, the upmarket requires leaders to accept new developments and the difficult stages of transition before they can inspire their employees to re-skill. The second part of reskilling is technology, which ensures that people have adjusted and can use technology to their advantage without fear of losing their jobs. I'd want to point out that there is no guarantee that our jobs will be available tomorrow, but one thing they can control and change as soon as possible is to look into different skills and upgrade their understanding of technology. It can be done by leveraging expertise in areas like cyber security, data analytics, productivity, and creativity. Another ability I'd want to see is data-driven decision-making. All of this has been said before, but we must emphasize it again because these credentials may no longer be valid.

What are the most critical tech skills needed in the Asian job market today, and how can individuals acquire these skills?

To combat the menace of phishing, scheming, and scams, one must first master cyber security skills. I believe that's the call to action. We must be more technologically adept and aware of cyber security and how to prevent cyber-attacks. The second choice would be artificial intelligence. Increasing everyone's awareness of AI, not because they use chat GPT, but because they can utilize all types of AI to boost productivity, and efficiency, and cost-effectively deliver solutions. Third would be Data Science and Big Data. To acquire all of these talents, we must first examine internal resources to determine whether we are employing the right people within the firm. So we need to shift away from recruiting only what we need right now and instead hire, predict, and multiply the number of people that need to be trained, and it must be for everyone.

 Our level of expertise must be at least met, and we must engage qualified teachers and trainers. Aside from that, we can collaborate with various schools, academies, and colleges inside your company or even locally. As a professor, I value intellectual rigor and discipline. The third alternative is to use existing e-learning and self-learning programs, such as Udemy and Coursera, as well as a variety of other resources. As a result, these people have access to free versions of technology programs, including Python from Harvard and MIT. We must take full advantage of that availability. To summarize, the three sectors include internal resources, universities, partnerships with them, and a wide range of e-learning programs. It is not just about understanding them; it is about tailoring them to your organization's specific needs, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Given the diverse economic conditions across Asia, what are some common challenges businesses face in identifying and bridging the skills gap?

People's mindset, whether they are employees or open to learning and challenge, is one of the most significant issues in bridging the skill gap. The second is the multigenerational workforce. We now consist of five generations: Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and baby boomers, and each group has diverse ways of learning. They each have unique learning needs, and I would like to emphasize that this presents a challenge, as the baby boomers may differ in their digital knowledge. Even the X generation, who are also digital immigrants, have shown the ability to adapt. So, the main challenges I see are the mindset, the multigenerational workforce, and the third one, investment. It should be viewed as an investment, not a cost because it entails a certain amount of money as well as time. So, it is a challenge for companies to set aside some learning hours. According to the American Society for Training Development, we should have at least 24 hours of learning per year, but that is still limited to soft and functional skills. However, we must allocate additional hours to each employee to emphasize their personal growth and enhance their skills. Another challenge I observe is maintaining consistency, as individuals may initially be overly eager to implement new programs. However, as time passes and they find the program challenging, their effort diminishes, leading to fluctuations in discipline and consistency.

What role does leadership play in promoting and supporting upskilling and reskilling initiatives within organizations in Asia?

In Asia, it is the leaders' responsibility to facilitate their employees' learning by setting aside specific days for this purpose. For instance, if an employee is scheduled to attend a Python program on a specific day, it is your responsibility as the leader to set the necessary conditions and ensure their commitment to the program. Thus, the leader establishes the conditions necessary for their teams to achieve success. The leader removes all blockages and hindrances that may come their way. The leader collaborates with the employees, ensuring they practice what they preach. It starts with them. They must undergo training and view learning and upskilling as a lifetime practice if they wish to support learning and development. Additionally, leaders have a considerable influence over the mindset of their team members. They might never be able to alter the behavior of a challenging employee. Therefore, they must first hire the right people, identify their skills, enhance them, support them, and create a roadmap to develop the employee in a way that yields a return on investment (ROI).

As we look towards the future, what are the emerging skills that will be critical for the workforce in Asia, and how can businesses prepare for these changes?

The skills needed for the future start with resilience, agility, and flexibility. On top of these, critical thinking and problem-solving are essential. These are skills that everyone needs, whether you are managing people or just leading yourself. It is important to be disciplined, set personal goals, and achieve them. You also need to learn from mistakes and rise above the challenges that every organization faces because there are always difficulties, and no one can predict how organizations will thrive in the future.

Leaders must first focus on leading themselves. You cannot give what you do not have, so equipping yourself with the right mindset is critical. Ask yourself, “Do I have the skills? Will they be relevant in the future?” If not, it is time to step up and improve. Regardless of age, you need to upskill and understand how to inspire your team members to become the best version of themselves.