Mr. Somsak Apithananakul, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labor, is the head of Thai delegation as Thailand chairs the Working Group on Labor Market Analysis of Columbo Processors, along with Mr. H.M. Gamini Senevirathne, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Employment Permanent Secretary as chair of the Skill and Adoption Task Force. The meeting was co-chaired by the Chairman of the Colombo Process Thematic Area Working Group Meeting under the theme “Building Synergy between Skills and Qualification, Recognition and Labor Market Analysis” from 23 to 24 January 2018 at OZO Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The International Labor Organization (ILO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Colombo Process Technical Support Unit (CP TSU), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Employment in the Overseas Countries attended the meeting. Representatives from the 12 member countries of the Colombo Process included 60 representatives from the Office of International Cooperation, Department of Skill Development and the Department of Employment from Thailand attended the meeting.
This meeting is intended to discuss skills and qualifications to produce a road map on the regional qualification framework of the Colombo process and discuss labor market analysis. It focuses on the development of guidelines for labor market research in member countries. Include the learning, initiative and experience of exporting member countries and the laborers, especially the Arabian Gulf. Including both private and foreign employment agencies. It will be finalized on the last day of the meeting in order for the workers in the Colombo process to have a good job, have good income and welfare abroad. The standard of workmanship is acceptable.
In addition, the meeting discussed and exchanged knowledge comments on skills and qualifications and analysis of the labor market, such as exploring the possibility of setting up a regional framework, skills training for migrant workers, initiatives and good practice in research and analysis of the labor market from member countries, measuring labor market trends, the experience of destination countries in assessing the needs of migrant workers in each job category.
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