Empowering the Youth
APO equips productivity leaders, practitioners in Asia
QUEZON CITY – Recognizing the significance of cultivating productivity practitioners among the youth through basic productivity tools and techniques, the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), in partnership with National Productivity Center of Cambodia, organized a groundbreaking event focused on equipping young minds with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive productivity improvements. Selected individuals across Asia collaborated through the Development of Productivity Practitioners among the Youth program which lasted from May 30 to June 2, 2023 via online platform.
APO program team led by Md. Zainuri Juri welcomed the qualified participants from Bangladesh (2), Cambodia (16), India (1), Indonesia (1), Islamic Republic of Iran (1), Japan (2), Pakistan (4), Philippines (5), Sri Lanka (1), Thailand (1), and Vietnam (1).
The event featured a series of workshops and training sessions conducted by industry experts on productivity practitioners including Nina Estudillo (Philippines), Mohd. Lizuan Abdul Latif (Malaysia), Dr. Koh Niak Wu, Chief Executive Officer of Cosmiqo International Pte. Ltd. (Singapore), Poch Manith, Business Development manager of Cambodian Chemical Supply Co., Ltd, and Thai Vantha, Deputy Director of Eurotech Import Export Co., Ltd.
The first day highlighted the discussions on the roles of the youth in nation-building and in the productivity movement, the fundamental concepts and framework for productivity, and the benefits, challenges, and methods in sustaining the implementation of the Total Quality Management approach.
Topics during the second day included sessions on the impact of digitalization and advanced technologies on productivity enhancement activities, basic tools and techniques on productivity enhancement, and sharing of best practices of companies that are applying the productivity tools.
Ultimately, the third and fourth days emphasized on the issues and challenges in implementing productivity activities for the youth, the impact of Artificial Intelligence on productivity, and the sharing of best practices of Eurotech Import Export Co., Ltd. The group work and output presentations which were the highlights of the last two days of the program served as a platform for empowering the next generation of professionals to spearhead productivity enhancement initiatives in their respective countries.
“This really is a transformative experience, to my fellow participants, we all took the first step by joining the program, so let us carry the knowledge, passion, spirit of collaboration and culture of productivity as we move forward and return to our respective countries,” said the chosen batch representative Roscel B. Dongaban-Bajet in her message of gratitude.
Ms. Dongaban-Bajet from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is part of the selected Philippine delegation along with Ms. Youri M. Castro and Ma. Lyn L. Reales of CHED, Lyanne Kate R. Pajarito of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Mr. Jake A. Villanueva of the University of the Philippines Institute for Small-Scale Industries (UP ISSI).
The participants who are now APO alumni are set to share and conduct learning sessions and training programs on productivity among the youth in their respective countries, local and organizations within three months.