THE International Labour Organization (ILO) launched a training initiative in the Philippines on Thursday to equip young construction workers with digital and green skills.
The training program hopes to create more than 15,000 jobs for young construction workers, according to Khalid Hassan, ILO country director for the Philippines.
The ILO will work with the Department of Labor and Employment and public and private trade schools on training programs in advanced, environmentally friendly methods needed for modern construction, he said in a speech at the program’s launch event.
“The sector struggles with low productivity and difficulty in attracting skilled young professionals,” he said. “These efforts aim to support young people’s access to labor markets and provide upskilling opportunities for existing workers.”
The construction industry’s valuation is expected to hit P2.71 trillion by the end of the decade, but interest in joining the trade is waning, Labor Undersecretary Carmela I. Torres said.
“The construction industry has been facing persistent challenges, including issues of low productivity and a struggle to attract skilled, young talent,” she said at the same event.
“To ensure sustained success, adapting digital innovation and committing to sustainable practices are not merely optional, they are imperative for progress,” she added.
Ms. Torres said the young are increasingly drawn to flexible careers that use technology and align with environmental sustainability. “We are observing a dynamic shift where young people are increasingly seeking not just any job, but meaningful work that aligns with evolving global demands.”
The ILO training program aims to equip participants aged 18 to 29 with technological skills in construction planning using artificial intelligence and introduce them to sustainability practices, Mr. Hassan told reporters on the sidelines of the event.
The program also includes training in information modelling, equipping participants with skills in structural design and project planning, according to Kyounghee Chong, ILO project manager for the training program.
“That’s kind of an integrated competency for making a building in a green and energy efficient way,” she told reporters.
She said the ILO will first train about 30 instructors to help roll out the program across other trade schools in the first phase of the program. “The teachers must know how to teach young people… to cascade it.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
