DHL study reveals Asian youth are growing anxious about finding employment

Asian youth are reporting significantly higher levels of stress and anxiety about their ability to secure their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL Group), the world's leading logistics provider, has published key findings from an inaugural study on youth employability in Asia Pacific. The three-week online study saw close to 950 responses from young people above 15 years of age across seven countries - Thailand, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. This study was done as part of DPDHL Group's GoTeach program with the support of its global partners SOS Children's Villages and Teach For All network.

The study found that more than 90% of youth who responded are either "anxious" or "very anxious" about their ability to find a job, with nearly 95% acknowledging that the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the process of job hunting. Despite this, there is a sense of confidence as well as optimism among these youth: 88% of them believe they are ready to enter the job market, with more than 70% indicating that they expect to land a job in less than six months upon completing their education.

When evaluating an offer, the "opportunity to learn and be challenged" at a job came up top in factors to consider followed closely by "job security", where nearly 20% of respondents indicated as crucial. Unsurprisingly, circa 38% of the young surveyed regarded traditional methods such as internships to be useful in helping them land a job although recommendations from mentors and teachers are equally considered to be key enablers. Online job portals whilst prevalent are viewed as the least useful channel simply due to the lack of the personal connection afforded by working as an intern or a validation by a contact.

Herbert Vongpusanachai, Managing Director of DHL Express Thailand and Head of Indochina, said, "Although jobs and livelihoods have been impacted during the pandemic, the digital workforce is still one of the main drivers for the country's digital economy. Aligned with the DHL study, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) in Thailand showed that 870,000 people were unemployed in the Q3 2021. Graduates have the highest unemployment rate (3.63%), followed by vocational students (3.16%).[1] At DHL, we have established a Group-wide program GoTeach as a way to support young people to discover their strengths and build self-confidence for better employment opportunities. When it comes to our GoTeach activities, our employees share not only their time but their skills and experiences. We believe that sustainability and the power of our economy depend on a strong educational system and the next generation of young professionals."

Industry preferences

Over 360 youth felt that working as a healthcare professional such as a nurse or doctor is the most recession-proof occupation undoubtedly swayed by the critical roles that these front-liners have played since the global COVID-19 outbreak, whereas a job in the education or government sectors are tied in second. Interestingly, when asked what their preference as a first job will be, more than 20% picked entrepreneurship compared to 14% who selected healthcare. Indeed, the education, hospitality/ tourism sectors joined entrepreneurship in the top three industry preferences ranking with healthcare trailing in fourth place.

Kiattichai Pitpreecha, Managing Director, DHL eCommerce Solutions, Southeast Asia, said, "The outbreak brings challenges and shines a spotlight on the logistics industry. We need to equip our workforce with professional skills i.e. communication, leadership and teamwork as the top three employability skills for industries.[2] Apart from our employee training program, we have many practical courses to enhance young people's competencies through the GoTeach program. We are not only providing the children with knowledge, but also allowing them to work with us. One of our customer service staff was an SOS child. After her on-the-job training, we saw her capabilities and hired her at DHL eCommerce Solutions. We continue empowering the youth in Thailand to develop the skills and confidence to enter the professional world."

Essential skills for the working world

Beyond technical and vocational skills, 45% of those surveyed viewed interpersonal communications skills as key whilst 30% thought language skills to be pertinent in their ability to secure a job.

Steve Walker, CEO of DHL Supply Chain, Thailand cluster, said, "Our GoTeach mentorship programs, in collaboration with SOS Children's Villages Thailand, are designed to equip young people with a broad range of knowledge and skills while improving employability for those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds due to poverty, loss of family and fleeing. During the pandemic, we've never stopped empowering our youth of the future. Despites challenges of organizing physical classrooms to prepare the youths to enter the workforce, we migrated our GoTeach activities online and it's a good opportunity for youths around the nation to participate. It's heartening to see our youth remain optimistic about their skills and abilities to secure a job upon completing their education."

Thomas Tieber, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Southeast Asia, said, " Youths entering the workforce might feel frustrated at job uncertainties during the pandemic. About 66% of Thai people said the rise in unemployment had caused stress, and 62% said it was the result of a long economic downturn[1]. This year, our GoTeach program focuses on mentoring, problem-solving and stress management programs to build the youth's confidence. To inspire the young in the future of work, we invited the young entrepreneurs of Chaksarn and ZeroMoment Refillery brands to share their business journey since day one. We hope to be a springboard for these young people to improve their future through the support and experience of DHL employee volunteers."

The Group fosters volunteering worldwide as part of the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy and pledges to invest 1 percent of its net profit annually in social impact initiatives. In the past year, 104,000 employees around the world contributed to more than 2,000 aid projects. Employees from all areas of the Group were involved, ranging from apprentices to the Board of Management. DHL's GoTeach program was initiated to improve the employability of young people, especially those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds due to poverty, loss of family and fleeing. In Thailand, more than 300 DHL volunteers across all business divisions have run several initiatives, including mentoring, job skills training, resume writing, interpersonal skills development, to benefit 655 children since the program commenced in 2014.

[1] NNT - Most Thais are worried of unemployment during COVID-19 outbreak

[1] NESDC - Overall Q3 Thailand, page 4

[2] Top 11 Skills Employers Look for in Candidates

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