On 9 January 2024, NXPO, in collaboration with the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) hosted a meeting, aimed at devising strategies for S&T human resource planning and development to underpin current and future investment. Chaired by Dr. Sampan Silapanad, President of Thai Association for Cooperative Education (TACE) and CoChairman of the World Association for Cooperative & Work-Integrated Education (WACE), the meeting brought together representatives from various organizations, including the Office of Permanent Secretary for Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; the Council of Science Dean of Thailand; the Council of Engineering Deans of Thailand; the Council of Information Communication Technology (ICT) Deans of Thailand, and several companies. The meeting served a platform for exchanging ideas on S&T human resource development to meet the needs of investors, involving stakeholders from both academia and industry.

Ms. Anin Meksuksai, Director of Special Operations Center (SPOC) at BOI, provided insights into the requirements of investors that have approached BOI, emphasizing the need for skilled workforces in industries such as electric vehicles, batteries, digital technology and semiconductors. She stressed that these investors sought information on manpower with skills that align with their investment plans. Ms. Panisa Harnpathananun, Director of Higher Education Innovation and Future Skills Development Division at NXPO, presented various mechanisms that have been implemented to support high-skilled workforce development, while Dr. Pornpen Saeung, Policy Specialist at NXPO, introduced information on the Semiconductor Higher Education Sandbox Project that has already been launched with an objective of developing a workforce to meet the demands of semiconductor industry.

Dr. Sampan concluded the meeting, underscoring the need to establish a comprehensive database of talent and graduate pools to address the investors’ needs. Through debates and discussions, participants expressed their interest in forming collaborations on workforce development to attract potential investors from overseas.