Philippines' construction sector tackles youth skills gap amidst digital and green shift

As the sector embraces digital and green transformation, a new initiative aims to equip young workers with Building Information Modeling (BIM) and green construction skills, in efforts to open up access to emerging job opportunities.

The Philippines’ construction sector, one of the country’s largest employers, is undergoing a “twin transition” toward digital technologies and sustainable building practices. Without targeted training, many young workers risk falling behind, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO).

On 25 March 2026, a Partnership forum on DigiGreen construction skills was held in Quezon City, bringing together government, industry, and training institutions to address this skills gap.

Khalid Hassan, Director of the ILO Country Office for the Philippines, noted: “Our focus is to ensure that training programmes are accessible, especially for youth from low-to medium-skill backgrounds, who stand to benefit the most from these new job opportunities.”

The initiative emphasises two key training areas: Building Information Modeling (BIM) and green construction skills. BIM is a digital tool that aims to enable more efficient and sustainable building design and management, and is increasingly required for large-scale projects in countries such as Korea, Singapore, and Dubai. Its adoption in the Philippines is expected increase productivity, lower costs, and reduce environmental impact. 

Hochul Shin, Chief Technical Adviser of the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme, said: “BIM and green construction skills are among the most important starting points for leveraging the digital and green transitions to improve youth employment in this sector.”

With these pathways, young workers will be able to take up more specialised roles, gain higher wages, sustain longer-term career stability, and move beyond traditional, often precarious construction jobs.

The forum also included the formal handover of training modules to Philippine institutions such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF), and the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA). This is intended to strengthen the link between training and actual employment opportunities.

The programme is part of the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme’s Advancing Digital and Green Skills for Youth in ASEAN project, which seeks to future-proof the workforce across the region.

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