Following the proposal of “ASD-CBA Project: Promoting Innovative Caregiving through Digital Upskilling” by the Workforce Development Agency(WDA), Ministry of Labor in 2021, WDA organizes “APEC ASD-CBA Workshop: Best Practices for Empowering the Health Workforce through Digital Upskilling” on 20-21 September in a hybrid format. Healthcare sector experts from APEC economies were invited to participate in this event share best practices in relation to relevant issues.
APEC Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) Lead Shepherd Professor Dong Sun Park and APEC HRDWG Capacity Building Network (CBN) Coordinator Ms. Rosanna Urdaneta were invited to deliver opening remarks for the event. Subsequently, speakers from APEC economies delivered presentations on best practices regarding empowerment of health workforce through digital upskilling. The online speakers are from Technical and Further Education New South Wales (TAFE NSW), Australia; Office of Industrial Economics, Ministry of Industry, Thailand; Institute of Health Management Research, Bangalore, India; International Medical University, Malaysia. The onsite speakers included Professor Eric Y. Chuang, Dean of College of Biomedical Engineering, China Medical University, and Professor Ying-Jun Lin from Chun Yuan Christian University, Taiwan. Participants also included Australian Office, Taipei, Manila Economic and Cultural Office, India-Taipei Association, Papua New Guinea Trade Office in Taipei and Indonesian Economic and Trade Office to Taipei.
In his opening remarks, WDA Director General Mr. Tsai Meng-Liang pointed out that WDA proposed the initiative of APEC Skills Development Capacity Building Alliance (ASD-CBA) in 2017 and received broad support from member economies. Since then, WDA has worked with economies and completed many projects in skills development and vocational training sectors for talent cultivation. WDA is fully aware of the importance of digital development and health industry under the current pandemic challenges. In 2020, WDA proposed “ASD-CBA Project: Promoting Innovative Caregiving through Digital Upskilling.” In order to seek more understanding on practices of economies, WDA submitted “ASD-CBA Project: Empowering the Health Workforce through Digital Upskilling” in 2021. Both projects received funding subsidy from APEC. The training package of caregivers was developed at this stage. This workshop was organized through the ASD-CBA platform to provide an opportunity for exchange and discussion on best practices in relation to health workforce digital upskilling issues by experts from APEC economies to deepen ties between Taiwan and Asia-Pacific partners.
In the workshop today, speakers and expers delivered presentations and exchange views on best practices of health industry empowerment and similar topics. In the scheduled site visit tomorrow (21 September), delegates will visit smart care centers to acquire a more updated information on the latest digital healthcare technology and assistive equipment. The two-day event will optimize the development of training package on caregivers and aim to become references for APEC economies at a later stage. It will strengthen cooperation on health industry talent cultivation and ties between WDA and regional economies.