Filipino learners have strong interest in improving communications, critical thinking skills

Professionals and jobseekers in the Philippines and across SEA have been adopting new soft skills, as well as other technical and digital skills to future-proof their careers against an uncertain economic backdrop, as this year’s listing of the most popular courses by LinkedIn shows.

Filipino learners were among the 7.3 million globally who enrolled in the most popular courses on LinkedIn in the past year (1 June 2021 – 30 June 2022) on its educational platform, LinkedIn Learning, which offers over 18,000 expert-led sessions. The number of learners was almost double that of the preceding year, indicating that more around the world are building skills to future-proof their careers. In Southeast Asia, learners spent over 2.6 million hours on LinkedIn Learning in the past year, which is 18.4% higher than the previous year.

With skills increasingly becoming the new currency for the future of work, Filipino learners have been actively engaging in upskilling and reskilling. Globally, the skills needed in any particular role have been changing quickly over time. As LinkedIn’s 2021 Future of Skills report notes, skills for a particular job in the Philippines have changed by 28% on average since 2015, with the pace of change accelerated during the pandemic. As the world of work continues to transform, this could potentially change by close to 50% (41% to 48%) by 2025, and there will also likely be three new skills required for a job then.

New LinkedIn data reveals that communications and strategic thinking know-how were some of the most in-demand soft skills among SEA learners, as courses on Speaking Confidently and Effectively (ranked #2), as well as Critical Thinking for Better Judgment and Decision Making (ranked #6), were among the top 20 most popular LinkedIn Learning sessions in SEA. This is against the backdrop of a more regular return to the office, as professionals in the region looked for guidance in being better at public speaking and navigating working more closely in teams.

There were also courses imparting “hard” or technical skills that round up the list such as Digital Marketing Foundations (ranked #8). Excel Essential Training (Office 365/Microsoft 365) emerged as the most attended course by SEA’s LinkedIn community, indicating that people and organizations were invested in brushing up their data management skills.

A standout in the SEA learning results was a focus on customer service, reflecting the region’s fast-growing online marketplaces, with the pandemic seeing rapid adoption of digital services.

Individuals and enterprises in the Philippines are embracing upskilling and reskilling to adapt to the shifting economic landscape, changing consumer expectations, as well as labor market movements. The Philippine government has been emphasizing the value of skills development, launching initiatives such as the Philippine Skills Framework and new regulations as well as incentives to encourage organizations to boost their competitiveness and future-proof their businesses.

Frank Koo, Head of Talent Solutions, Asia Pacific, LinkedIn, said, “The most popular LinkedIn Learning courses shed light on the priorities of SEA professionals and all who are looking to dip their toes in the job market. There is a growing skills gap in the fast-evolving job market, and as digital transformation accelerates across businesses and industries, individuals and enterprises who build their competencies in soft and hard skills will be the ones who remain most competitive. Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, is moving towards a skills-based economy, along with the rest of the world, and we will see a diverse range of in-demand skills emerge for the future of work.”

To provide career advancement resources and tools to the professional community, LinkedIn is giving free access to its top 10 Most Popular Courses on https://www.linkedin.com/learning until August 31, 2022.