New Research Reveals That Workers with Advanced Digital Skills Boost Thailand’s Annual GDP by US $75.8 billion (฿930.8 billion)
80% of Thai organizations that employ workers with advanced digital skills report higher annual revenue growth, but 94% of organizations are facing hiring issues
BANGKOK, Thailand – February 22, 2023 – Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com company, today released new research that shows workers in Thailand who use advanced digital skills – including cloud architecture or software development – contribute an estimated US$75.8 billion (฿930.8 billion) to Thailand’s annual gross domestic product (GDP). This is attributed to the 57% higher salaries that these workers earn compared to those with a similar education who do not use digital skills at work.
The “Asia Pacific Digital Skills Study: The Economic Benefits of a Tech-Savvy Workforce,” commissioned by AWS and conducted by Gallup, examined how building a technology-enabled workforce has significant benefits for individuals, organizations, and the economy. More than 1,000 (1,296) working adults and 359 employers were surveyed in Thailand across a variety of public and private sector organizations and industries. The study classifies basic digital skills as the ability to use email, word processors, other office productivity software, and social media. Intermediate digital skills include drag-and-drop website design, troubleshooting applications, and data analysis. Advanced digital skills include cloud architecture or maintenance, software or application development, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning.
The study found that advanced digital workers in Thailand are benefitting from more than just a boost in their income. 89% percent of workers who use advanced digital skills express high levels of job satisfaction compared to 58% of workers with basic digital skills. Workers with digital skills are also citing career benefits; 93% of Thai workers who completed digital skills training in the past year have experienced at least one positive benefit such as increased opportunities for promotion.
Similarly, employers that rely heavily on advanced digitally-skilled workers, digital technology, and cloud technology reap higher business growth and innovation. The study found that 74% of Thailand organizations that run most of their business on the cloud report steady annual revenue growth of 10% or more, compared to 56% of those that run some or none of their business on the cloud.
With many organizations now preparing for the hiring challenges of the future, the Gallup study looked at 10 emerging technologies including AI, edge and quantum computing, blockchain, and cryptocurrency. 92% of employers in Thailand say at least one of these technologies is likely to become a standard part of their future business operations, with 5G ranking the highest at 75%.
“People in Thailand are increasingly going digital, from the way they work to the way they live. This research shows that digital skills provide immense economic value to Thailand at the individual, organizational, and macroeconomic levels,” said Gallup Principal Economist, Dr Jonathan Rothwell. “As more organizations move their IT to the cloud over the next decade and new technologies emerge, digitization is going to fuel a vast number of new jobs. The opportunity for Thailand to be competitive in the digital economy depends on having a robust and highly skilled workforce to support current and future innovations.”
With the digital transformation of businesses and government agencies accelerating around the world, demand for advanced digital workers will remain strong in the coming years. 90% of Thai employers surveyed reported they were seeking to fill openings that require digital skills, but 94% said it is challenging to find the talent they need. A possible barrier is that 56% of Thai organizations prefer a bachelor’s degree, even for entry-level IT staff. However, many are starting to recognize that accepting industry certifications can ease their hiring challenges. 92% of employers say that digital certifications or training courses are acceptable substitutes for a bachelor’s degree.
“As the Gallup research shows, Thailand has the opportunity to seize immense economic benefits from building a strong pipeline of cloud talent to support the country’s ongoing digital transformation. AWS is working with organizations such as King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), and leading companies like CP Food and Central Group, to help address the digital skills gap. AWS has trained over 700,000 people with cloud skills in South East Asia since 2017, and our work doesn’t stop here,” said Emmanuel Pillai, Head of Training and Certification for ASEAN, AWS.
“Digital skills drive tremendous gains for individuals, organizations, and economies, which is why AWS is committed to expanding our digital skills training programs for workers and employers across Thailand. We are excited to continue to collaborate with local public and private sector employers to help them upskill and reskill their employees and take full advantage of the cloud to accelerate their business growth, productivity, and innovation.”
In recent years, AWS has launched various AWS Training and Certification programs in Thailand to equip individuals with the right skills to thrive in a digital world. These include AWS Skill Builder, a digital learning experience with over 600 free on-demand cloud skills courses including 62 in local Thai language. AWS Educate offers hundreds of hours of self-paced training and resources for new-to-cloud learners, and AWS Academy empowers higher education institutions with a free, ready-to-teach cloud computing curriculum that prepares students to pursue industry-recognized certifications and in-demand cloud jobs.
AWS is providing digital skills training to both public and private sector customers. In 2022, we signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) to accelerate the upskilling of Thai Government staff. The agreement is part of a broader skilling plan for AWS to provide training to more than 1,200 government employees so they can implement cloud technologies at scale, make better data-driven business decisions, and innovate new services to drive improved outcomes for citizens across the country.
Earlier this month, Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) announced a digital skilling collaboration with AWS. “MHESI and AWS share a common goal to address the digital skills shortage in Thailand and improve the nation’s digital competency and capacity,” said Professor Dr. Sirirurg Songsivilai, Permanent Secretary, MHESI. “The Gallup research reinforces MHESI’s mission to equip public servants with the necessary cloud skills to better serve changing citizen needs. By leveraging AWS’s training programs, we aim to upskill employees on AWS cloud skills across over 200 education institutions and over 20 MHESI-managed research and education agencies across Thailand by early 2026.”
To upskill future workers in Thailand, AWS is collaborating with higher education institutions like the King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL). KMITL offers AWS Educate and AWS Academy as part of its curriculum, and in collaboration with the Thai Government’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency, the university is running a bootcamp and job fair for over 200 students to help them prepare for the digital workforce.
“As Thailand grows its digital economy, the nation also faces the challenge of a digital manpower shortage,” said Assistant Professor Rutchanee Gullayanon, Ph.D., Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL). “The Gallup research reinforces that cloud computing talent, especially those equipped with advanced digital skills like cloud architecture and artificial intelligence, are in high demand across all industries in Thailand. The demand also outweighs the number of relevant graduates higher education institutions are producing. To address this, KMITL is leveraging AWS education programs to provide easily accessible and engaging cloud-focused education content for students to experiment with cloud technology and developing solutions addressing real-world use cases. We hope to interest young graduates to develop cloud skills and remain relevant for Thailand’s future workforce.”
“The Asia Pacific region is digitally transforming at a rapid rate, and this timely research shows that having a highly skilled digital workforce is key to inclusive and sustainable development across all countries,” said Ms. Rupa Chanda, Director of the Trade, Investment and Innovation Division at United Nations ESCAP. “Digital skilling programs are catalysts for an inclusive digital future, providing equitable learning opportunities to people from all backgrounds and driving innovation that supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
“The Asia Internet Coalition welcomes the research findings which affirm the significant value digital skills bring to the Thai economy, and the wider global economy. This underscores the urgent need for government and Industry to work together to increase digital literacy and support upskilling across the region. The digital economies of Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, have emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than before. Bridging the digital skills divide will accelerate digital inclusion and the building of an ecosystem that will power the overall recovery of the region’s economies,” said Jeff Paine, Managing Director, Asia Internet Coalition.
With the launch of the AWS Asia Pacific (Bangkok) Region in October 2022, AWS plans an estimated investment of more than 190 billion baht (US$5 billion) in Thailand over 15 years.
Since announcing the global commitment to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to provide free cloud computing skills training to 29 million people around the world by 2025, AWS has trained more than 13 million people in digital skills. For more information about AWS’s free cloud skills training commitment, visit AboutAmazon.com/29million.
Download the “Asia Pacific Digital Skills Study: The Economic Benefits of a Tech-Savvy Workforce”.
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