As Asia’s economies continue to expand and diversify, its current and future workforce will play critical roles in sustaining its place as the globe’s most dynamic region. Demographic shifts, technological change, and geopolitical uncertainty are reshaping both the labour market and education systems across Asia.

Responsive policies that anticipate future trends, foster skill development, and promote innovation are essential in ensuring that Asia’s workforce remains both competitive and inclusive. This critical intersection between education systems and employment policies is the main motivation behind the joint publication, Asia’s Future Workforce: Shaping Responsive Education and Employment Policies for Youth and Beyond by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s (KAS) Regional Economic Programme Asia (SOPAS) and the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF).

Contributions from selected countries in East, South, and Southeast Asia provide analyses of the current employment landscape, including specific industries or sectors where the youth are more prevalent, and the challenges they face in entering and sustaining employment. Emerging job trends in Asia and how these impact opportunities for the youth are also explored. These country case studies probe how well Asia’s different education systems, and its governments are addressing the skills gaps to better prepare the youth for the evolving job market. We hope that the thoughtful recommendations outlined in the publication will serve both as a guide and a call to action for governments, education and business leaders to not only address immediate workforce needs but also prepare for long-term economic shifts.
 

The views, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this report are solely those of its author(s) and do not reflect the views of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, or its employees.