Utrecht – NL, August 4, 2021.​ The WCC Group, a leading provider of advanced solutions for Public Employment Services and Staffing Agencies and ID/Security government agencies, has emphasized its commitment to supporting Public Employment Services (PES) worldwide as they tackle the long-term and emerging challenges around job creation and workforce development that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated.

As part of this commitment, WCC hosted a virtual roundtable with senior representatives from the Public Employment Services of Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. The participants shared their insights and thoughts on the APAC pandemic labor market and how their respective countries have overseen shifts in their labor market strategies.

The experiences of each APAC country represented at the roundtable have been influenced by a variety of economic and social factors. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed several profound economic challenges, underlining the high percentage of informal unemployment and existing barriers to digital technologies. It has also called attention to rising gender inequality.

Across the region, long-term strategic and data-driven initiatives are needed to ensure resilient communities and economies. Financial support packages and furlough schemes have helped, but only represented short-term fixes. Moreover, as the labor market continues to evolve, public employment solutions will be needed more than ever, including robust digital transformation strategies.

While changing cultural perceptions of the APAC workforce and other socioeconomic factors clearly play a part in tackling labor market challenges, the panel agreed that technology plays a critical and transformative role in preparing Public Employment Services in the APAC region for the future.

“Technological solutions, from PES digital platforms to virtual interviews, have already helped alleviate some of the challenges brought to the APAC labor market by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the roundtable, it was heartening to hear how each country is overcoming various obstacles and we look forward to continuing our partnerships with public bodies in the region to support the enablement of a sustainable labor market that works in everyone’s best interests.”

Kong Ban Yip, WCC’s APAC VP of Sales