Thailand has become the first country to launch Microsoft’s Elevate AI and Jobs national coalition, bringing together the government, employers, educational institutions and civil society organisations to connect artificial intelligence (AI) training with employment opportunities.
The initiative, announced on 15 October, aims to help students, recent graduates, first-time job seekers and mid-career workers develop practical AI skills aligned with employers’ needs. Its first phase is scheduled to run from October 2026 to June 2027.
The coalition will work to strengthen workforce training and recruitment systems as AI reshapes the labour market. It also aims to support Thailand’s ambition to meet standards set by the OECD.
The initiative comes as demand for AI-related skills grows. LinkedIn estimates that 70% of the skills used in most jobs globally will change by 2030, with AI emerging as a catalyst. About 1.3 million high-skilled AI jobs were created worldwide between 2023 and 2025, according to figures cited by Microsoft.
However, gaps in AI education remain. Microsoft’s 2026 AI in Education research found that 77% of students said their schools had not provided formal AI training. Meanwhile, 66% of educators wanted their institutions to offer AI training monthly or quarterly.
From training to employment
The Thai initiative will focus on four areas: establishing a coalition and developing a workforce transformation framework; creating AI learning programmes and skills credentials aligned with the European Union’s DigComp 2.2 framework; providing practical learning opportunities, including hackathons; and connecting learners with jobs.
The coalition will use labour market information from the Federation of Thai Industries and JobsDB by SEEK to help align training with employers’ requirements.
Its partners include Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, the Department of Skill Development, the Department of Employment and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency.
Industry groups, employment platforms and non-profit organisations, including the Federation of Thai Industries, the Digital Council of Thailand, JobsDB by SEEK, Generation Thailand and Thai Fund Foundation, will also participate.
Microsoft said its existing digital and AI skills programmes had reached more than 2.7 million people in Thailand over the previous two years. Thailand is the first of 19 countries selected to implement the Microsoft Elevate AI and Jobs national coalition model.