Amman: The Economic and Social Council unveiled on Tuesday the Country Status Report on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on the Jordanian labor market in 2022.
The report delves into the significance of the fourth industrial revolution and its implications for the Jordanian labor market. It conducts an analysis of the readiness of various economic sectors and the alignment of the educational system to cater to future job opportunities.
Musa Shtaiwi, President of the Council, stated that the report offers a diagnostic assessment of different sectors and the future skills required by the labor market, underlining the need for a strategic national framework to embrace the fourth industrial revolution, defining necessary policy changes across sectors, including academia.
The report outlines key economic and social developments, evaluating sectors and reviewing pillars of the fourth industrial revolution, its implications, challenges, and both positive and negative aspects on the national economy
. It assesses the labor market, education system outputs, and their alignment with market needs.
According to the report, Jordan boasts a robust technological infrastructure, with widespread internet accessibility geographically and socially, including the initiation of 5G services.
The government has started responding to the components of the fourth industrial revolution, approving an artificial intelligence strategy for 2022-2027, a moral charter for artificial intelligence, and establishing the National Cyber Security Center. Numerous initiatives have been undertaken by ministries and public institutions, utilizing pillars of the fourth industrial revolution and implementing artificial intelligence applications in industry and agriculture. Universities have also begun offering specializations related to the fourth industrial revolution.
However, the public sector’s readiness for the fourth industrial revolution remains weak, relying on theoretical aspects with a shortage of specialists and a weak insti
tutional relationship with the private sector, as per the report.
The report indicates a shift in the labor market’s structure, with employers and workers increasingly benefiting from digital platforms, providing flexibility and job opportunities, particularly for women. It notes a significant transformation in the skills required by the private sector toward digital technology, affecting traditional sectors such as agriculture.
Despite the adaptability of expatriate workers to digital requirements, the Fourth Industrial Revolution may introduce technological alternatives that reduce the demand for expatriate workers. It stressed that there is a gap between education outcomes and labor market needs.
The report provides recommendations in various axes, emphasizing the expansion of high-speed internet infrastructure, the adoption of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in education, and the modernization of curricula. It calls for the development of a national strategy for industry, the s
ponsorship of multilateral cooperation, and increased awareness of the private sector regarding the fourth industrial revolution.
In the policy and organization framework, the report urges the government to create an environment that encourages innovation, leadership, and reduced bureaucratic procedures. It emphasizes data governance, intellectual property protection, and the encouragement of innovation.
On the investment and financing strategies axis, the report advocates for enhancing public-private partnerships, investing in fourth industrial revolution projects, and providing financing for innovation and research and development. It recommends tax incentives for companies supporting these initiatives and financing for small and medium enterprises in the fourth industrial revolution field.
In the social protection axis, the report calls for the development of a strategy in collaboration with the private sector to address expected unemployment due to the fourth industrial revolution and provide protectio
n for workers, especially concerning the privacy of their information.
Source: Jordan News Agency