Educating a new breed of skilled personnel 
By The Nation

 

Education Minister Udom Kachintorn

 

Projects being launched this year will cater to the demands of ‘S-Curve industries’

Two new educational projects are being kicked off this year at a combined budgeted cost of Bt14 billion to feed the demand for skilled workers for the 10 “new engines of growth” or “S-curve industries” as Thailand aspires for an economic transformation.

 

The projects are designed to graduate a “new breed” of nearly 120,000 skilled workers, including 52,899 educational certificate holders, 6,249 “Por Wor Sor” high vocational certificate holders, and 56,478 bachelor degree holders.

 

The ministry said it would need a total of Bt14.138 billion to cover nine years of project implementation, broken down between Bt12.528 billion to fund actions and Bt1.610 billion to procure equipment and teaching materials.

 

The Cabinet has approved an initial Bt1.396 billion for this fiscal year, of which the Eastern Economic Corridor Labour Demand for New Growth Engines (2017-2021) project will get Bt119 million and the “Production of Graduates for Thailand’s New Growth Engines” (2018-2026) will get Bt1.277 billion, according to the Education Ministry.

 

Education Minister Udom Kachintorn said the Cabinet-approved projects were in line with plans for educational reform, the 20-year national strategy, and the “Thailand 4.0” policy, as well as meeting economic goals of curbing the shortage of skilled labour. 

 

He said the projects would also address industry’s call for graduates with abilities to match the market demand.

 

“We were told by industry people that past graduates have had to undergo additional training for 1-2 years before they could start working,” Udom said.

 

The first project, targeting vocational students, will shift vocational education’s learning methods and curriculum and increase participation from the private sector.

 

Thus at least 50 per cent of study programme time would take place in a real work environment under a teacher or expert supervision. 

 

The project, offering a Bt35,000-per-head subsidy, has selected 27 colleges (22 vocational colleges plus five “smart farming” colleges) to join it in producing 8,500 skilled workers in five years for five existing industrial sectors The sectors are next-generation automotive, smart electronics, high-income tourism and medical tourism, efficient agriculture and biotechnology, and food innovation.

 

The second project, targeting both advanced vocational students and higher education students, will produce skilled workers in the “new S-curve” industrial sectors – automation and robotics, aerospace, bio-energy and bio-chemicals, digital, and medical and healthcare It has recruited 20 participating universities covering 235 study programmes.

 

Udom said the 119 non-degree programmes will have a study time of from six months to one year and offer a Bt60,000 per head per year subsidy It is expected to produce 51,995 skilled graduates in three years The 116 degree programmes, whose study time is five years and offer a Bt120,000-Bt150,000 per-head per year subsidy, will produce 56,078 graduates.

 

Udom said the projects has garnered attention from various companies that are signing up for the EEC.

 

Secretary-general of the EEC committee, Khanit Saengsuphan, said that last year, companies in the EEC needed 12,213 skilled workers for 224 projects. 

 

They included 4,614 workers in 32 projects for next-generation automotive, 3,043 workers in 27 projects for smart electronics and 1,479 workers in 63 projects for bio-energy and bio-chemicals. 

 

The EEC focus was now on skill development for the current 200,000 to 300,000 workers while promoting Thai vocational education to produce workers with practical skills.

 

According to Nipon Jongpitaksila, head of the Rail System Technology Department at Rangsit University’s College of Engineering, his college has also collaborated with Japan’s Nihon University and JR East General Education Centre to broaden students’ skills in the field through hands-on and problem-based learning approaches.

 

Nipon said those with education in rail system engineering and rail system-related business management are in high demand in Asean countries with at least 10,000 positions available per year – at least 2,000 positions of which are in Thailand.

 

The dean Watcharavee Chandraprakaikul of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Faculty of Engineering agreed that there was high demand for rail system experts, and said her institute had joined with China’s Luizhou College and Thailand’s SRT Electrified Train Co to develop a study programme. 

 

That programme would cater to the country’s current and future demand for such skilled manpower, as Thailand is building more than 400 rail stations and rail networks covering 30,000 kilometres in 76 provinces Premium courses in five high-demand fields.

 

According to Udom, the 19 vocational and technical colleges participating in the projects starting this year would deliver premium “Por Wor Sor” study programmes in five fields in collaboration with expert parties, including educational institutes in China, the Civil Aviation Training Centre (CATC) and the private sector.

 

Premium programme graduates would get two certificates or diplomas – one from Thailand and the other from the collaborating foreign institute.

 

1 In the field of rail transit systems, a three-year programme in collaboration with China-based institutes will be available at Khon Kaen’s Banphai Industrial and Community Education College, Surat Thani Technical College, Maha Sarakham’s Wapi Pathum Technical College and Chon Buri Technical College.

 

2 In the field of mechatronics, a two-and-a-half-year programme in collaboration with China’s Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College will be available at Ayutthaya Technical College and Bangkok’s Min Buri Technical College.

 

3 In the field of aircraft mechanics, a two-year programme based on the International Civil Aviation Organisation standard will be available at Phuket’s Thalang Technical College, Chon Buri’s Sattahip Technical College, Bangkok’s Don Meuang Technical College, Samut Prakan Technical College, Ubon Ratchathani Technical College and Khon Kaen Technical College. 

The programme was developed in collaboration with CATC and private sectors.

 

4 In the field of industrial robotics, a two-year programme with collaboration with German institutes is available at four provincial technical colleges in Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon Saraburi and Suphan Buri.

 

5 In the field of logistics, a two-and-a-half-year programme in collaboration with China’s Chongqing City Management College will be available at Udon Thani Vocational College.

 

As well, KOSEN colleges of technology in Japan will collaborate with Nakhon Ratchasima’s Suranaree Technical College to teach Mechatronics and Robotics, and with Chon Buri’s Science Based Technology Vocational College to teach Industrial Robotics. 

Both are special five-year “Por Wor Sor” programmes recruiting Mathayom 3 graduates. 

 

Mathayom 3 graduates usually study the “Por Wor Chor” programme for three years first, before they can continue to the two-year “Por Wor Sor” programmes.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30344272

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-30

Delusional Thailand

Edited April 30, 20188 yr by mok199
speliings

Great, but is there still going to be an abundance of qualified welders, electricians, air-con experts, carpenters, bricklayers, tilers, auto mechanics, and truck and train drivers?

There are sooooo many things to comment on here that it is difficult to know where to begin!

 

First, if there is an intention to drastically improve the education levels of Thai people, you first have to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and honesty of the Ministry of Education; see the MANY recent stories on how massive amounts of money are stolen, then add 'the tip of the iceberg' theory to the total.

 

Second, while it is a nice idea (in theory) of up-grading people's baseline skills and abilities, that simply doesn't work well when the baseline is so low. If you want to see an improvement in the skills of a 20 year old, your first need to inoculate basic skills at a younger age so that there is something to build on.

 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

The projects are designed to graduate a “new breed” of nearly 120,000 skilled workers, including 52,899 educational certificate holders, 6,249 “Por Wor Sor” high vocational certificate holders, and 56,478 bachelor degree holders.

Okay.

 

But, what are you going to do with all the other people who currently hold these certificates and degrees? Tell them to go back to the farm? And, if the current bunch do not meet the required standards, what makes anyone think the next batch will be any better?

 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

The ministry said it would need a total of Bt14.138 billion to cover nine years of project implementation, broken down between Bt12.528 billion to fund actions and Bt1.610 billion to procure equipment and teaching materials.

Okay.

 

Just a question or two...

 

What "actions"? And why/how do you plan to spend 12.528 Billion Baht on them?

 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

Education Minister Udom Kachintorn said the Cabinet-approved projects were in line with plans for educational reform, the 20-year national strategy, and the “Thailand 4.0” policy, as well as meeting economic goals of curbing the shortage of skilled labour. 

He said the projects would also address industry’s call for graduates with abilities to match the market demand.

“We were told by industry people that past graduates have had to undergo additional training for 1-2 years before they could start working,” Udom said.

Okay.

 

How will this next batch of 'graduates' be any different? This is a rather important detail...

 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thus at least 50 per cent of study programme time would take place in a real work environment under a teacher or expert supervision. 

Okay.

 

Apprenticeships can be a good thing when managed properly. However, if there is currently not a number of well-trained and/or expert people already, who is going to do the training? Just askin...

 

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

Udom said the 119 non-degree programmes will have a study time of from six months to one year and offer a Bt60,000 per head per year subsidy It is expected to produce 51,995 skilled graduates in three years The 116 degree programmes, whose study time is five years and offer a Bt120,000-Bt150,000 per-head per year subsidy, will produce 56,078 graduates.

Udom said the projects has garnered attention from various companies that are signing up for the EEC.

 

Okay.

 

So, a MAJOR new educational program, starting from scratch, is going to up-grade the skills of 200,000-300,000 current workers and generate 100,000 (?) new workers with high-level skills all within 5 years. Er... who is going to be running this program? It is an extremely important and valid question...

 

Further, I can't help but notice that there is a HUGE pot of money here, and based on a cursory reading of Thai history, there is a very high-likelihood that a very large amount will be siphoned off. And, to add further pain and misery, the likelihood of achieving the designated numbers of highly-skilled workers is... wait for it... unlikely or plainly impossible.

 

I applaud the government for trying to create and/or improve the abilities of Thai workers; an investment in education is almost always a good thing. I say "almost" as the implementer of the project, I assume the Ministry of Education, has not demonstrated that it has the capacity to achieve the results hoped for.

 

In other words, a GIANT pot of money is going to the east, coincidentally the home region of many of the coup leaders. And, it seems like a HUGE part of it is just free money/subsidies for businesses. I wonder who owns the businesses...?

 

Hmm...

 

 

Edited April 30, 20188 yr by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

There are sooooo many things to comment on here that it is difficult to know where to begin!
 
First, if there is an intention to drastically improve the education levels of Thai people, you first have to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and honesty of the Ministry of Education; see the MANY recent stories on how massive amounts of money are stolen, then add 'the tip of the iceberg' theory to the total.
 
Second, while it is a nice idea (in theory) of up-grading people's baseline skills and abilities, that simply doesn't work well when the baseline is so low. If you want to see an improvement in the skills of a 20 year old, your first need to inoculate basic skills at a younger age so that there is something to build on.
 
Okay.
 
So, a MAJOR new educational program, starting from scratch, is going to up-grade the skills of 200,000-300,000 current workers and generate 100,000(?) new workers with high-level skills all within 5 years. Er... who is going to be running this program? It is an extremely valid question...
 
Further, I can't help but notice that there is a HUGE pot of money here, and based on a cursory reading of Thai history, there is a very high-likelihood that a very large amount will be siphoned off. And, to add further pain and misery, the likelihood of achieving the designated numbers of highly-skilled workers is... wait for it... unlikely or plain impossible.
 
I applaud the government for trying to create and/or improve the abilities of Thai workers; an investment in education is almost always a good thing. I say "almost" as the implementer of the project, I assume the Ministry of Education, has not demonstrated that it has the capacity to achieve the results hoped for.
 
In other words, a GIANT pot of money is going to the east, coincidentally the home region of many of the coup leaders.
 
Hmm...
 

Farang think too much. Must go now, Mercedes are on the other line, questions about interior colour schemes for my new car...

Sent from my BG2-U03 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

with such a corrupt playing field,we all know were the good jobs go..

4 hours ago, mok199 said:

with such a corrupt playing field,we all know were the good jobs go..

For way too many in higher positions, the well of the Baht never runs dry.

The projects are designed to graduate a “new breed” of nearly 120,000 skilled workers, including 52,899 educational certificate holders, 6,249 “Por Wor Sor” high vocational certificate holders, and 56,478 bachelor degree holders.

 

The second project, targeting both advanced vocational students and higher education students, will produce skilled workers in the “new S-curve” industrial sectors. Sounds like complete shit'e to me. 

 

4 In the field of industrial robotics, a two-year programme with collaboration with German institutes is available at four provincial technical colleges in Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon Saraburi and Suphan Buri.

 

The Germans will have to be fluent in Thai methinks. 

 

Two new educational projects are being kicked off this year at a combined budgeted cost of Bt14 billion

 

 A lot of new houses, cars, and Mia Nois for soldiers, that's for sure. 

Edited April 30, 20188 yr by jenny2017

Let's bring out another. Hair brained scheme that runs into billions so loads can disappear and no one knows where it's gone.how about getting proper auditors and accountants trained up and check all the government money leakages first.

More efficient scammers on tge way then. Sounds about right.

How's about spending the 14 billion on giving all Thais at least a rudimentary education so those that do make it as far as technical college have a chance of understanding what it is you are trying to teach them?

8 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

And, to add further pain and misery, the likelihood of achieving the designated numbers of highly-skilled workers is... wait for it... unlikely or plainly impossible.

 

I agree with everything you say apart from this.

 

I guarantee that there will be the required number if graduates clutching certificates at the appropriate time.

I see little progress, only because that’s how it works here.  I visited my friend in Australia last week, and his 9 year old daughter was more intelligent than a high school graduate here.  And, I’m not joking 

Edited April 30, 20188 yr by Redline

PTT and some visionary individuals have for several years now invested large amounts of time and money into a project called KVIS and others in the province of Rayong.

 

It seems to be a very advanced ( for Thailand ) project, that will surely deliver some of the required skills, not just for PTT, but the skills that the Nation also seeks.

 

I wish them well, and this new announcement is also set to deliver the skills required.