The World Association of Public Employment Services Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (WAPES APRC) 2024 was hosted by Malaysia’s Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) and the World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES) in Kuala Lumpur. This year’s theme, “Mitigating Future Skills Gaps: Progressing into a Digital World of Work”, drew over 150 attendees including policymakers, business executives, and research academics.

H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK was a panellist in Theme 1 “Workforce and the Evolution of Digitalisation”, presenting on “Preparing OIC Labour Force for Changing Nature of Work”. She provided insights into the current state of the labour market in OIC Member Countries, underlining their significant global role with a workforce of over 753 million, constituting around 21% of the global total.

H.E. SELÇUK stressed that youth constitute more than 26% of the workforce in OIC Member Countries, highlighting their demographic strength. Furthermore, she highlighted the importance of equipping individuals with essential skills including data analysis, AI, cybersecurity, and digital marketing to meet the demands of a changing job market. She also touched upon the global trends in automation and digitalization, proposing strategies for OIC Member Countries to adapt to these transformations.

The Conference concluded with the efforts from the stakeholders to enhance collaboration and initiate programmes to improve public employment services.

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