The Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), NXPO, and the Board of Investment (BOI) are jointly implementing Thailand Skill Bridge / BOI STEM++, an initiative aimed at equipping Thailand’s workforce with the skills needed for future industries and strengthening the country’s long-term competitiveness.
💡 Thailand Skill Bridge is a workforce development initiative designed to equip Thai workers with skills that match the needs of high-tech industries and support the growth of an innovation-driven economy. It helps workers transition from traditional industries to emerging industries by using AI to identify workers who are at risk of job displacement but have the potential to transition to employment in other industries. The initiative also develops tailored training programs to address skills gaps. For example, while some workers in the internal combustion engine vehicle industry are at risk of job losses, the electronics industry needs hundreds of thousands of additional workers. By identifying these skills gaps, workers can be trained to acquire the skills needed to “cross the bridge” into new industries.
🎯 Targeting 100,000 People for Skill Development
The initiative focuses on developing the skills of both workers already in the workforce and those preparing to enter the labor market through reskilling, upskilling, and acquiring new skills that match the actual needs of nine target industries:
🌱 Agriculture and Biotechnology
🍽️ High-Value Food
🚗 Next-Generation Automotive
💻 Semiconductors and Smart Electronics
🤖 Automation and Robotics
🏥 Medical and Wellness
🌿 Biofuels and Biochemicals
🧠 Digital & AI
🛡️ Defense Industry
🤝 Combining the Strengths of Three Key Agencies to Drive Workforce Development
NXPO serves as the central coordinating body connecting all sectors. Its roles include certifying courses that address Future Skills and developing and managing the STEMPlus platform for proposal submission and progress monitoring, as well as establishing a national database of high-skilled talent. These efforts help ensure that training programs are genuinely aligned with industry needs.
💼 OPS MHESI is responsible for setting national workforce development policies and directions, as well as connecting the education and research sectors. BOI supports investment promotion measures and provides incentives for the private sector to participate in workforce development.
🌟 Workforce Development to Meet Industry Needs
This collaboration will help narrow the skill gap between the skills people currently have and those demanded by the labor market. It will also build a high-quality workforce ready to support investment in the country’s target industries.
☑️ People: Gain access to quality skills development opportunities and increase their prospects for stable employment.
☑️ Industry: Gain access to highly-skilled, job-ready workers.
☑️ Thailand: Strengthen its global competitiveness and advance toward an innovation-driven economy.
📌 Ready to Upskill for New Opportunities in the Industries of the Future?
Register for Thailand Skill Bridge through the STEMPlus platform: https://www.stemplus.or.th/boi/courses
