Asean-wide standards to be set for ICT workers
An ICT Professional Institute is to be set up by the Information and Communications Technology Ministry and the Office of the Civil Service Commission, with the aim of enhancing and developing professional standards in the local industry.
It is hoped that by promoting international standards of professionalism and expertise, the institute will serve the human resources needs of the ICT industry in both the government and private sectors.
The executive director of the ICT Ministry's Policy and Strategy Bureau, Methini Thepmani, said the ministry would submit draft plans for the ICT Professional Institute for Cabinet approval before the end of this year.
"The ICT Professional Institute project is part of the Second Thailand Information and Communications Technology Master Plan for 2009 to 2013. It is related to the development of ICT personal to transform Thailand into a knowledge- and innovation-based society with an economy that is sustainable and stable," she said.
Methini said the ministry would fix ICT professional skills standards within an Asean framework, enabling the transfer of human resources between member countries of the region. It aimed to raise local standards to international level, allowing an interchange of personnel at the same levels within Asean, within five years.
"The ICT-skills standards will benefit all Asean member countries because all ICT workforces in the region will have the same qualifications up to international standards and ICT industries will have personnel qualified for national and worldwide competitiveness," she said.
The framework will provide for the establishment of a regional mechanism for promoting ICT certification programmes and cross-certification. Mutual Recognition Arrangements will be made for qualification in IT professional skills.
In its first step, Thailand plans to develop the skills standards of ICT professionals in three areas: systems analysis specialists, IT security and ICT project managers. As a result, these professionals will have skills and qualifications comparable with those of ICT professionals anywhere in the world, and certification able to be used and recognised in the pursuit of business or professional advancement.
Methini said her bureau was also working with the TOT Academy to develop pilot courses in network security, ICT security and network engineering to help train government officers.
"Thailand's professional standards in ICT skills will be comparable with those anywhere in the world. These standards will also help the education sector to provide training courses for specialists whose training will measure up to the requirements of business and industry," she said.
Meanwhile, the bureau is planning to set up an ICT Council that will represent the private sector in policy coordination and collaboration with the public sector in advancing ICT policies and measures. The council will provide ICT certificates to developers and experts who achieve the new professional standards. It will also provide IT security tests for officers working on the Government Information Network (GIN). The network will need about 4,000 officers with IT-security standards and certification around the country.
Methini said the new ICT skills standards would also serve as guidelines to help companies adopt a strategic approach to the hiring and training of professionals within their organisations.
She said the international professional standards currently being developed by her bureau would enhance Thailand's competitiveness in outsourcing software and services and exporting software to international markets.
