Netflix signs WEF pledge to enhance ASEAN digital creative skills

Mr. Yu-Chuang Kuek, Managing Director of Netflix Asia-Pacific (3rd from left) along with representatives from the World Economic Forum and other signatories pose together with H.E. Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Communications and Information of Vietnam (4th from left) to mark the signing of the WEF - ASEAN Digital Skills Pledge

Netflix today signed a pledge to partner with the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Digital ASEAN working group to help people and governments in Southeast Asia develop creative and digital skills and capabilities for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The pledge is part of WEF’s ASEAN Digital Skills Vision 2020 programme, a private-public project involving a coalition of organisations that seeks to train up 20 million workers in digital skills by 2020. The initiative gained further urgency when a recent WEF-commissioned survey of 56,000 ASEAN youths found that 52% believed they needed to upgrade their skills constantly to succeed in a changing job market. On top of that, they ranked “creativity and innovation” as the most important skill for their future.

Mr. Yu-Chuang Kuek, Managing Director, Netflix Asia-Pacific, “As Netflix grows, we are partnering with Southeast Asian governments and industry players to support the development of digital creative skills needed in a fast-developing internet entertainment landscape. We believe having the necessary skills for the creative industry; being equipped for online safety and digital literacy; as well as understanding the principles for an agile governance framework will be integral to the success of initiatives like the ASEAN Connectivity Master Plan.”

According to Justin Wood, Head of Asia Pacific and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum, “we welcome industry partners like Netflix to this important cause. Key public-private partnerships like this play a vital role in ensuring societies and governments across the region are equipped with the necessary skills and not left behind in the wake of this technological revolution. This programme is delivering significant impact. In its first eight months, the initiative has already secured commitments to train 8.9 million workers at SMEs, as well as to provide 30,000 internships.”

As part of its pledge, Netflix will start rolling out initiatives focused on three broad areas, namely: Creative industry 4.0 skills development, which will focus on the skills required to produce content for the internet entertainment industry, including writing, production, and post-production; online safety and digital literacy, in partnership with industry experts, consumer advocacy groups, as well as regulators, to equip consumers with the necessary knowledge and tools to enjoy online entertainment in a safe and secure way; and agile governance 4.0, which will be held in partnership with key stakeholders to help regulators navigate changes in the 4th industrial revolution and to keep pace with technological advancements.

Netflix is the world's leading internet entertainment service with over 151 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages.