AI Upskilling in Thailand: Issues and Approaches

 t was about 'AI Upskill: Preparing the Workforce for Tomorrow' by Dr. Karndee Leopairote , Virot Chiraphadhanakul (Skooldio), and Parit Wacharasindhu.

Key messages are:

- Thailand isn't behind in terms of AI awareness but not much in favorable actual actions that can drive the country forward forcefully.

- Mismatch between university education and industry needs stays on as a big gap for employment. Another big gap is still the digital divide which includes access to AI and access to free and paid AI.

- Selected age groups for upskilling need data and specific contents as well as platforms....like Singapore to offer vouchers to 40 up knowing that it's the age most needed.

- Market-driven force can help offer best training programs, not to center around what the government wishes to offer. The government must not take control of the thinking instead of the market. It must offer funding support and helps steer the upskill/reskill needs by mobilizing interdisciplinary expertise to heighten the quality of training. Vouchers must be given according to specific needs and groups as well as types of skills.

- Fundamental skills go beyond digital literacy, critical thinking, but have to include human skills especially interpersonal skills, and yearning to learn.

- Singapore and Indonesia are raised as success stories and I gather that it's because of their database, tracking and monitoring systems. The Thai government must be the open platform for quality programs offered, give directions and vouchers, help match the right training for individuals and groups, and I'd like to add ka -- monitor the results with the developments and world trends.

While I was listening to this session, I couldn't help but think of how to ask the right/quality questions and tackle the challenges away from the one-size-fits-all approach. For example, when talking about the digital divide, we need to look at access to the internet of the mass and which specific groups and their needs, the gap between those who can afford to pay and those who can't to get differing results. It isn't just about life-long learning, but the right questions must be how to enhance people's curiosity to crave for learning besides how-to-learn skills.

One most important thing each of the three wants to see is our country's change: educational reform; the desirable role of the media to sharpen brain power; public service reform, especially new budgeting approaches, rid of silo ways of work, and proper market competitions without corruption.

My one wish is for our government to synergize its efforts beyond one or several ministries or specific private companies, focusing on people development with sincere wishes for our national growth.

You la ka?

Learning from Singapore and university leader

 Hello all. The past Thursday, I participated in SEAMEO RIHED's Inter-Regional Research Symposium on, 'Transforming HIgher Education: Towards Sustainable Development'. There, I had a little role introducing one keynote speaker, Prof. Tan Tai Yong, who talked about world trends, Singapore, and his university (Singapore University of Social Sciences-SUSS). Our little group of 'TPop Plus' also had dinner with him and his wife, which gave us even more joy to ask him some leadership questions.

Setting the context this way, here is what I've chosen to tell you, including a few questions from my curiosity ka.

- As a small country, Singapore has its main focus on the quality of its people. The most significant is its visionary leadership to have lifelong learning as a national movement paving paths from primary education to the world of work, with SkillsFutureSG started as early as 2015. Now they have vouchers and urge people over 40 years old to upskill/ reskill.

I researched about it quite a while ago and was quietly jealous of Singapore how they could manage to do it ka. A good number of us from different sectors went to visit them. Yet, not much is mentioned and no actions are obviously seen from the learning. We also repeatedly mention upskilling/reskilling but it needs to be one macro policy with strategic and monitoring actions and assessment na ka. I recall Khun Tonson said that Singapore also has some issues about course providers but they tackled them right away. Ours hasn't really started systematically nor continuously na ka.

- Accountability is high on the agenda. Prof. Tan was citing an issue of one minister who was jailed because he took gifts worth more than $311,882 while in public office, which included tickets to the Formula 1 Grand Prix, a Brompton T-line bicycle, alcohol, and a ride on a private jet. Such a high profile person and enforcement have sure built trust for the Singaporeans and their collaborators to work together na ka.

There was also another case about a university chair who stayed for over 20 years and was abusing his/her authority. Those higher-ups removed this big shot.

- Out of my curiosity, here are some questions and responses, not exactly wordings na ka:

I really wanted to know who he asked to go with him when taking up the SUSS presidency. He said he had his secretary with him as she's been working with him for over 30 years and can help manage his schedules, who to meet, and what best to do.

When asked if he had any plan to do in his first 100 days? It was some actions about his vision,. communication to the community and meeting 1-1 when needed, cutting down what seemed to be repeated processes, etc.I also asked him how he could identify who to be trusted. Besides walking around to meet his team members, he has his lunch in the canteen to get to meet more. It could also be that there were several cases popping up to identify who must be fired (he took action after probing them and preparing the processes carefully!)

I really like his vision, 'To be a university that inspires learning for life and impacts life' He said it's to stress life-long learning but more powerful to think of two aspects when putting it as,'learning for life' to mean lifelong and for an impactful, productive living ka. The Values are short to cover key desirable qualities (RAISE: Respect, Adaptability, Integrity, Service, Empathy).He even checked his workforce for mutual understanding na ka. I asked him when he came up with them. He said when he showered ka.

Sanuk mak but so ตาร้อนมากค่าาาาาา!

Keynote not with key notes?

Hello to all ka! I plan to write another egroup message after I delivered a keynote speech yesterday at the in Chiang Rai.

The delivery wasn't so bad but I felt that my content didn't really respond well with the needs and interest of the participants ka. The theme was, 'Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) in English Language Teaching (ELT)'. So I created my topic as, 'Belonged' to move from DEI to DEIB with 'belonging' as the 4th principle, following this added aspect that's been around for some years and the recent agreement of ASEAN and SEAMEO to promote the four ka.

My intended messages were to ensure that ELT offers what AI can't do, focusing more on feelings like empathy, caring, etc. The world issues can be used as contents in all the teaching and learning to integrate these four principles through storytelling, different sides of the situations like the feeling of a Caucasian in a black-dominant community, the addition of LGBTQA+ in some less acceptable contexts, and the use of personal stories. This could make the meaning of 'teach' change into a less strict sense. The human-to-human with heart-to-heart approach will nurture the sense of belonging for us to enhance our global citizens with global mindsets ka.

After the talk, I graded myself a B- as I felt that the content seemed to be too simple or less connected with them ka. I was thinking of what to do if I had to offer another speech in this forum of language teachers and several things I'd have to add would be to come up with key takeaways in all key slides. For example, why the world situations need to be put into consideration in English teaching as it isn't just understanding the issues, but what goes deeper down in the issues where communication strategies and human aspects have to be taken up. Tough to cover all in 20 minutes kaaa!

Well! Despite my disappointment of my own performance, I've learned quite a bit and felt less upset, knowing I did my best and I helped the organizers to have one keynote almost at their last minute ka.