THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it launched a self-assessment tool for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which will allow them to evaluate the degree to which they are ready to embark on digital transformation.
Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said during second meeting of the E-commerce Promotion Council that business must tap the opportunities on offer from the digital economy by equipping themselves with the necessary skills to navigate the digitally-enhanced market.
Mr. Lopez said MSMEs can take a test online and receive a scorecard that will recommend specific training topics to help MSMEs make progress on their digital transformations.
“MSMEs may opt to visit the website of DTI or the NegosyoCenter.online website and its learning resources. They can also visit their nearest Negosyo Center to inquire about the next steps, from how to create an e-mail account (Level 0) to data analytics (Level 3). There is information available for our micro, small, medium enterprises and DTI is here to help,” Mr. Lopez added.
The MSME diagnostic toolkit was developed by Thames International for the DTI.
In a baseline study conducted by the DTI intended to identify the level of digitalization among Philippine MSMEs, only 6% of the respondents said they employed advanced digital tools for their businesses while 23% reported not using digital tools at all.
Meanwhile, the DTI’s employment outlook for the e-commerce industry came in at 86.7% on E-commerce Job Outlook Index.
“One of the key strategies of the e-Commerce Philippines 2022 Roadmap is to make available a talent pool of digitally skilled workers. Skills mismatch has often been cited as a perennial problem in various industries and if we are to achieve maximum growth for the e-commerce sector, we must understand the e-commerce workforce ecosystem and identify the demand requirement so we can supply relevant skills,” Mr. Lopez said.
The Job Outlook study also revealed that MSMEs require more digital talent in content creation and technical skills, while larger companies are seeking digital talent proficient in business intelligence and strategy.
The DTI said it plans to collaborate with the Department of Labor and Employment and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in building a pool of digitally skilled talent to address industry demand. — Ram Christian S. Agustin
