Thailand Brings Digital and Green Construction Skills into National Training System

The Department of Skill Development, under the Ministry of Labour, has developed courses in Building Information Modelling, known as BIM, and Green Skills for Construction.

Thailand is incorporating digital and green construction skills into its national workforce training and vocational education systems through collaboration with the International Labour Organization. The initiative brings together government agencies, employers, workers, training institutions and the construction industry to address skills gaps as building technologies and environmental practices change. New courses and teaching materials will support students entering the sector and workers seeking to update or broaden their skills.

The Department of Skill Development, under the Ministry of Labour, has developed courses in Building Information Modelling, known as BIM, and Green Skills for Construction. Both draw on standards and training materials produced through the ILO's Advancing Digital and Green Skills for Youth in ASEAN project. More than five in-person consultations and workshops helped adapt the standards and programmes to the needs of Thailand's construction industry.

The two department courses are ready for submission for management approval, with nationwide distribution dependent on that decision. Once approved, they are expected to reach all 77 skills development institutes, with worker training anticipated to become available from January 2027. The planned rollout would give construction workers access to upskilling and reskilling through Thailand's established training network.

Vocational students gain green construction modules and BIM training

The Office of the Vocational Education Commission, under the Ministry of Education, has integrated the project's full 42 hours of green skills modules into construction curricula at certificate and diploma levels. Vocational teachers can now use these materials with students, bringing the content into existing education programmes. The commission has developed a separate BIM upskilling course based on the project materials, which teachers can deliver according to demand.

Bunchaluk Luesawat, the commission's Advisor on Vocational Education Standards for Business and Services, described the handover of standards and curricula as the beginning of their integration into national institutions. She said the commission was ready to expand implementation across vocational institutions nationwide, helping young people develop digital and green skills for future employment. The curriculum changes give the project a place within Thailand's education system, supporting continued use of the materials beyond individual training activities.

Industry collaboration connects training with workforce needs

The programmes respond to gaps identified as Thailand's construction sector adopts new technologies and more environmentally sustainable building practices. Government, employer and worker representatives helped shape the Thai versions of the standards and training programmes, alongside training institutions and industry participants. Their involvement helped connect the content with the skills needed in construction workplaces and the institutions responsible for teaching them.

Chatiwut Thongkan, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Skill Development, said the initiative could strengthen occupational skills, raise labour productivity and improve business competitiveness. He linked the training to wider employment opportunities for young people and construction workers, supporting Thailand's sustainable economic development. Xiaoyan Qian, Director of the ILO Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao People's Democratic Republic, stressed that national ownership would help the programmes reach more people, respond to industry changes and continue beyond the project's lifetime.

Trainer preparation will support wider delivery across Thailand

The next stage is a five-day, 40-hour Training of Trainers programme on Green Skills for Construction for 25 participants. The group will include teachers and trainers from the Department of Skill Development and the vocational education commission, together with trainers working inside construction companies. Participants will prepare to teach vocational students, unemployed young people and existing workers, supporting wider delivery through national institutions.

The work forms part of the ILO's Advancing Digital and Green Skills for Youth in ASEAN project, which supports construction skills development in Thailand and the Philippines. Funding comes from the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labour through the ILO-Korea Partnership Programme. The initiative combines training materials, national adoption and trainer preparation to help both countries develop the skills needed for changes in construction technology and practice.