Identifying future skills needs in the agriculture, creative, and digital  sectors 

A new workforce futures report by the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources and UNDP  provides a 15-year outlook for workforce demand in the agriculture, creative and digital sectors.  

Thimphu, 15 December 2022: Entitled, “Bhutan Workforce Futures: Stepping stones to Industrial  Strategic Propositions for the Agriculture, Creative and Digital Sector”, released today, explores future  skills needs in the creative, agriculture and digital sectors in the context of changing nature of work,  workplace and workforce. 

Using strategic foresight tools and methods, the report presents two complementary scenarios- one inwardly  focused and the other outwardly focused- for each sector for the next five (immediate future), 10 (near  future) and 15 (far future) years and charts skills, capacity and knowledge needs to realise the proposed  scenarios. For instance, digital and financial literacy, smart irrigation and digital agricultural platform are  some of the inwardly focused skills that will be in demand in the immediate future in the agriculture sector.  In the creative sector, intellectual property rights protection capacity, animation skills, crowdfunding and  data analysis are among the immediate outwardly focused skills needs. And in the digital sector, cyber  security literacy, digital ethics, data interoperability and design thinking are some of the inwardly focused  skills that would be in demand in the immediate future.  

Soft skills, such as effective communication, critical thinking, negotiation skills, emotional intelligence,  empathy and stress management, are crosscutting and will be required in the immediate, near and far future.  In line with these, the report highlights interventions, including experiments and pilots, to drive future  workforce supply and job growth.  

The study was carried out as part of ongoing efforts to tackle the challenge of youth unemployment. It  builds on the earlier report by the Ministry of Labour and Resources (MoLHR) and UNDP, “Digital Jobs  in Bhutan: Demand Creation and Future Skilling” and stresses the importance of addressing youth  unemployment through a systems approach.  

  “In the absence of an economic road map or future workforce roadmap, this report serves as a guide for the  three sectors in preparing future workforce and tackling issues through the proposed interventions,” said  Dasho Tashi Wangmo, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources. 

“One of the key ideas that this report proposes is that a functioning and thriving workforce is not just  dependent on supply-side reform but also requires investments in the demand-side enabling people with the  right mix of skills and abilities to be absorbed by the economy.”

“We are witnessing major transformations in the world of work, both in Bhutan and beyond– from advances  in technology to the impact of climate change, from changing nature of production to employment and  demographics, and more. The report highlights strategies to confront these challenges and, more  importantly, leverage opportunities from technological advances and innovation.,” said UNDP Resident  Representative, Mohammad Younus. 

“UNDP stands committed to supporting efforts in mapping investment opportunities for the interventions  and experiments outlined in the report. We stand ready to support the building of an inclusive and robust  creative, digital and agriculture sectors in Bhutan.” 

Led by the MoLHR in partnership with UNDP, this report is a collective work of the task team, comprising  representatives from the erstwhile Gross National Happiness Commission, the Ministry of Education,  Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of  Economic Affairs. The UNDP’s Regional Innovation Centre with the Bangkok Regional Hub provided  technical support.  

The report is also informed by the voices of representatives from the Local Government, private sector, the agriculture, creative, and digital sectors, and the youth themselves.  

Media contact: 

Ms. Dechen Wangmo, Communications Analyst, UNDP Bhutan, Mobile: +975 1734 3086, Email:  dechen.wangmo@undp.org. 

MoLHR Media Committee, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, Email: media@molhr.gov.bt