Thai Workforce of the Future Skills Gap: A Study of Challenges and Development of Online Courses Appropriate to the Digital Age

This research aims to (1) examine future skills gaps in Thai workforce, (2) analyze problems and challenges of essential skills gaps, (3) develop online curricula to address future skills gaps, and (4) evaluate curriculum quality. Using mixed methods research, including literature review, analysis of government and international organization survey reports, curriculum development, and focus group discussions, the study yielded the following results: (1) Thai workers have significant skills gaps across four major skill domains according to McKinsey & Company's DELTAs framework: cognitive skills, interpersonal skills, self-leadership skills, and digital skills. (2) The causes of these skills gaps include education systems emphasizing memorization, curricula that do not align with labor market needs, rapid technological changes, culture that does not emphasize lifelong learning, and lack of effective skill development systems in organizations.(3) The research developed 11 online curricula covering all four major skill groups to address the identified skills gaps.(4) Evaluation of the curricula found that they were generally appropriate but required improvements in course name alignment, objective wording, instructor qualifications, and assessments. This research has significant implications for policy development and implementation in upgrading Thai workforce skills to match digital age labor market demands.