• 88% of youth surveyed believed that they have the requisite skills needed to enter the working world but more than 90% of them are “anxious” about their ability to secure a job upon completing their education
• Most felt that Covid-19 is affecting the job-seeking process but remain optimistic

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 15 July 2021 – To mark the United Nations’ World Youth Skills Day this year, Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL Group), the world’s leading logistics provider has published key findings from an inaugural study on youth employability in Asia Pacific. The three-week online study saw close to 950 responses from young people above 15 years of age across seven countries – Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. This study was done as part of DPDHL Group’s GoTeach program with the support of its global partners Teach For All network and SOS Children’s Villages.

Christoph Selig, Vice-President, sustainability communications and programs, DPDHL Group said, “Job uncertainties and insecurities abound as most economies in the region continue to battle different waves of Covid-19 even as the pandemic starts to recede with the availability of vaccines. Whilst this inevitably impacts the hiring roadmap for businesses across multiple industries, it is heartening to see our youth recognizing the challenges ahead, but yet remain optimistic about their own aptitude and abilities to secure a job upon completing their education.”

The study found that more than 90% of youth who responded are either “anxious” or “very anxious” about their ability to find a job, with nearly 95% acknowledging that the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the process of job hunting. Despite this, there is a sense of confidence as well as optimism among these youth: 88% of them believe they are ready to enter the job market, with more than 70% indicating that they expect to land a job in less than six months upon completing their education.

When evaluating an offer, the “opportunity to learn and be challenged” at a job came up top in factors to consider followed closely by “job security”, where nearly 20% of respondents indicated as crucial. Unsurprisingly, circa 38% of the young surveyed regarded traditional methods such as internships to be useful in helping them land a job although recommendations from mentors and teachers are equally considered to be key enablers. Online job portals whilst prevalent are viewed as the least useful channel simply due to the lack of the personal connection afforded by working as an intern or a validation by a contact.

Industry preferences

Over 360 youth felt that working as a healthcare professional such as a nurse or doctor is the most recession-proof occupation undoubtedly swayed by the critical roles that these front-liners have played since the global Covid-19 outbreak, whereas a job in the education or government sectors are tied in second. Interestingly, when asked what their preference as a first job will be, more than 20% picked entrepreneurship compared to 14% who selected healthcare. Indeed, the education, hospitality/ tourism sectors joined entrepreneurship in the top three industry preferences ranking with healthcare trailing in fourth place.

“Young people just entering the workforce have witnessed an unprecedented crisis that would have influenced their view of the working world,” commented Susanne Novotny, Corporate Partnership Manager at SOS Children’s Villages. “It’s therefore not surprising that most felt that the healthcare industry is somewhat recession-proof but equally, most young people might have preferred to start their own business to have better control over their own lives, careers and destiny. All in all, it’s encouraging to see the enterprising spirit of young people, strongly supported by GoTeach entrepreneurship training on how to start and run their own business.”

Essential skills for the working world

Beyond technical and vocational skills, 45% of those surveyed viewed interpersonal communications skills as key whilst 30% thought language skills to be pertinent in their ability to secure a job.

Pablo Millanes, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Teach For All said, “Our GoTeach mentorship programs are always designed to equip young people with the broad range of knowledge and skills that they will need to fulfill their potential in a rapidly changing world, and we’ll keep working closely with DHL to refine our activities as the world evolves. For example, we migrated all our GoTeach activities online last year when Covid hit, which was challenging at first but it opened up opportunities for volunteers around the world to participate.”

Designated by the General Assembly in 2014, the World Youth Skills Day is an opportunity for young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, and public and private sector stakeholders to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. This year’s theme is “Skills for a resilient youth”.

An Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) initiative dating back to 2009, GoTeach seeks to improve the employability of young people, especially those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds caused by social unrest, poverty and/or loss of family. To date, volunteers from across DPDHL Group in over 60 countries have contributed their time and effort into working with young people under this program. In Asia Pacific, more than 600 DHL volunteers ran several initiatives in 2020, including mentoring, job skills training, resume writing, internships and youth camps, to benefit young people across the region.

Note to editors:

Please refer to the attached infographic for the complete findings of the study conducted among 950 young people across Asia. For more stories about DHL’s sustainability approach and programs, including GoTeach, please visit Logistics of Things.

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 66 billion euros in 2020. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.

#DHL

• More than 90% of youth surveyed believed that they have the requisite skills needed to enter the working world but almost 90% of them are “anxious” about their ability to secure a job upon completing their education
• Similar to their peers in the region, most felt that Covid-19 is affecting the job-seeking process but remain optimistic

JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Media OutReach – 15 July 2021 – To mark the United Nations’ World Youth Skills Day this year, Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL Group), the world’s leading logistics provider has published key findings from an inaugural study on youth employability in Asia. The three-week online study saw close to 950 responses from young people above 15 years of age in the region, including nearly 200 from Indonesia. Young people from across six other countries – Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam made up the rest of the respondents. This Indonesia study was done as part of DPDHL Group’s GoTeach program with the support of its partner SOS Children’s Villages.

Christoph Selig, Vice President, sustainability communications and programs, DPDHL Group said, “Job uncertainties and insecurities abound as most economies in the region continue to battle different waves of Covid-19. Whilst this inevitably impacts the hiring roadmap for businesses across multiple industries, it is heartening to see our youth recognizing the challenges ahead, but yet remain optimistic about their own aptitude and abilities to secure a job upon completing their education.”

The study found that almost 90% of Indonesian youth who responded are either “anxious” or “very anxious” about their ability to find a job, with nearly 92% acknowledging that the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the process of job hunting. Despite this, there is a sense of confidence as well as optimism among these youth: 9 out of 10 believe they are ready to enter the job market, with more than 80% indicating that they expect to land a job in less than six months upon completing their education.

When evaluating an offer, more than 21% of Indonesian youth chose “job security” as the most important factor, followed closely by “the opportunity to learn and be challenged”. While their counterparts in the region agree these are both important, about 20% felt that the opportunity to learn and be challenged is more crucial than job security. Unsurprisingly, circa 28% of the young surveyed in Indonesia, concur with those across the region that traditional methods such as internships are most useful in helping them land a job although social media channels and recommendations from mentors and teachers are equally considered to be key enablers. Online job portals whilst prevalent are viewed as the least useful channel simply due to the lack of the personal connection afforded by working as an intern or a validation by a contact.

Industry preferences

In Indonesia, over 30% of surveyed youth felt that working as a healthcare professional such as a nurse or doctor is the most recession-proof occupation undoubtedly swayed by the critical roles that these front-liners have played since the global Covid-19 outbreak, whereas a job in the government or education sectors are in second and third place respectively. Interestingly, when asked what their preference as a first job will be, almost 65% of young people in Indonesia picked entrepreneurship – reflecting the same preferences as their peers in the region where over 20% of them selected this option. Overall, jobs related to entrepreneurship, education, and hospitality/ tourism sectors ranked among the top three preferred by young people in the region.

“Young people just entering the workforce have witnessed an unprecedented crisis that would have influenced their view of the working world,” commented Susanne Novotny, Corporate Partnership Manager at SOS Children’s Villages. “It’s therefore not surprising that most felt that the healthcare industry is somewhat recession-proof but equally, most young people might have preferred to start their own business to have better control over their own lives, careers and destiny. All in all, it’s encouraging to see the enterprising spirit of young people, strongly supported by GoTeach entrepreneurship training on how to start and run their own business.”

Essential skills for the working world

Beyond technical and vocational skills, respondents in Indonesia viewed interpersonal and language skills as equally important with a third of respondents choosing each of them respectively. Their peers in the region also cited these as the most important skills that will support them in their job-seeking journey.

Designated by the General Assembly in 2014, the World Youth Skills Day is an opportunity for young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, and public and private sector stakeholders to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. This year’s theme is “Skills for a resilient youth”.

An Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) initiative dating back to 2009, GoTeach seeks to improve the employability of young people, especially those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds caused by social unrest, poverty and/or loss of family.

To date, volunteers from across DPDHL Group in over 60 countries have contributed their time and effort into working with young people under this program. In Asia Pacific, more than 600 DHL volunteers ran several initiatives in 2020, including mentoring, job skills training, resume writing, internships and youth camps, to benefit young people across the region.

Note to editors:

Please refer to the attached infographic for the complete findings of the study conducted among 950 young people across Asia. For more stories about DHL’s sustainability approach and programs, including GoTeach, please visit Logistics of Things.

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 66 billion euros in 2020. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.

#DHL

• More than 80% of youth surveyed believed that they have the requisite skills needed to enter the working world but almost 90% of them are “anxious” about their ability to secure a job upon completing their education
• Similar to their peers in the region, most felt that Covid-19 is affecting the job-seeking process but remain optimistic

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM – Media OutReach – 15 July 2021 – To mark the United Nations’ World Youth Skills Day this year, Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL Group), the world’s leading logistics provider has published key findings from an inaugural study on youth employability in Asia. The three-week online study saw close to 950 responses from young people above 15 years of age in the region, including nearly 480 from Vietnam. Young people from across six other countries – Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand made up the rest of the respondents. This Vietnam study was done as part of DPDHL Group’s GoTeach program with the support of its partner SOS Children’s Villages.

Christoph Selig, Vice President, sustainability communications and programs, DPDHL Group said, “Job uncertainties and insecurities abound as most economies in the region continue to battle different waves of Covid-19 even as the pandemic starts to recede with the availability of vaccines. Whilst this inevitably impacts the hiring roadmap for businesses across multiple industries, it is heartening to see our youth recognizing the challenges ahead, but yet remain optimistic about their own aptitude and abilities to secure a job upon completing their education.”

The study found that almost 90% of Vietnamese youth who responded are either “anxious” or “very anxious” about their ability to find a job, with nearly 98% acknowledging that the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the process of job hunting. Despite this, there is a sense of confidence as well as optimism among these youth in Asia: 88% of them believe they are ready to enter the job market, with 70% indicating that they expect to land a job in less than six months upon completing their education.

When evaluating an offer, the “opportunity to learn and be challenged” at a job came up top in factors to consider followed closely by “job security”, where nearly 20% of respondents in the region indicated as crucial. In Vietnam, most respondents agree with their counterparts in the region on wanting to learn and be challenged but they cited “salary” as the second most-considered factor. Unsurprisingly, circa 38% of the young surveyed (in Vietnam and across the region) regarded traditional methods such as internships to be useful in helping them land a job although recommendations from mentors and teachers are equally considered to be key enablers. Online job portals whilst prevalent are viewed as the least useful channel simply due to the lack of the personal connection afforded by working as an intern or a validation by a contact.

Industry preferences

In Vietnam, over 250 youth felt that working as a healthcare professional such as a nurse or doctor is the most recession-proof occupation undoubtedly swayed by the critical roles that these front-liners have played since the global Covid-19 outbreak, whereas a job in the education or government sectors are in second and third place respectively. Interestingly, when asked what their preference as a first job will be, more than 50% of young people in Vietnam picked entrepreneurship – reflecting the same preferences as their peers in the region where over 20% of them selected this option. Overall, jobs related to entrepreneurship, education, and hospitality/ tourism sectors ranked among the top three preferred by young people in the region.

“Young people just entering the workforce have witnessed an unprecedented crisis that would have influenced their view of the working world,” commented Susanne Novotny, Corporate Partnership Manager at SOS Children’s Villages. “It’s therefore not surprising that most felt that the healthcare industry is somewhat recession-proof but equally, most young people might have preferred to start their own business to have better control over their own lives, careers and destiny. All in all, it’s encouraging to see the enterprising spirit of young people, strongly supported by GoTeach entrepreneurship training on how to start and run their own business.”

Essential skills for the working world

Beyond technical and vocational skills, almost 60% of respondents in Vietnam viewed interpersonal communications skills as key whilst 27% thought language skills to be pertinent in their ability to secure a job. Their peers in the region also cited these as the most important skills that will support them in their job-seeking journey.

Designated by the General Assembly in 2014, the World Youth Skills Day is an opportunity for young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, and public and private sector stakeholders to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship. This year’s theme is “Skills for a resilient youth”.

An Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) initiative dating back to 2009, GoTeach seeks to improve the employability of young people, especially those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds caused by social unrest, poverty and/or loss of family. In Vietnam, DPDHL Group recently marked its tenth-year anniversary for GoTeach in the country, and have pledged to continue partnering with SOS Children’s Villages, the largest non-governmental organization focused on supporting children without parental care and families at risk.

To date, volunteers from across DPDHL Group in over 60 countries have contributed their time and effort into working with young people under this program. In Asia Pacific, more than 600 DHL volunteers ran several initiatives in 2020, including mentoring, job skills training, resume writing, internships and youth camps, to benefit young people across the region.

Note to editors:

Please refer to the attached infographic for the complete findings of the study conducted among 950 young people across Asia. For more stories about DHL’s sustainability approach and programs, including GoTeach, please visit Logistics of Things.

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 66 billion euros in 2020. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.

#DHL

NORTH CAROLINA, USA – News Direct – 15 July 2021 – Microban^® International is proud to announce that it is bringing together its Microban^® and Ultra-Fresh^® brands and technologies under a single umbrella. Following the initial acquisition of Thomson Research Associates in 2016, Microban International will now completely harmonize the two organizations, as these titans unite to operate as a single company under the Microban International name. By consolidating their services and combining over 100 years of collective industry experience, Microban International can better serve its partners all around the world and continue to revolutionize the industry.

The Microban brand is widely recognized as the world leader in bespoke antimicrobial and odorcontrol solutions, delivering Protection That Lives On™ and redefining surface cleanliness. In parallel, the organization’s newly emergent ingredient brand – Ultra-Fresh – delivers improved freshness for a broad spectrum of surfaces. This exciting move will allow the company to harness the trusted Microban brand alongside its Ultra-Fresh offering to create the broadest and most powerful antimicrobial product portfolio in the industry.

Microban will continue to develop innovative solutions for both product lines, and further extend its turnkey services and partner support – including technical, regulatory, and legal guidance – to remain a well-rounded and trusted advisor for all. With an ever-growing partner base in 172 countries, advanced facilities around the world, and the addition of Microban laboratories and offices in Canada, Shanghai and Taiwan, partners can look forward to even better coverage, support, and market penetration.

Michael Ruby, Vice President of Global Business at Microban International, commented: “Microban is proud to take this step, not only for the company but for its partners. Pushing the boundaries of innovation and building long-standing, meaningful business relationships has always been at the heart of our organization, and this exciting step will allow us to foster, nurture and develop new and existing connections. This is an opportunity for us to move forward; to continue to invest in ground-breaking technologies that benefit end-users, creating the broadest product portfolio in the industry while extending the reach of our valuable turnkey services for all of our partners.”

Joe Lyons, President of Microban International, commented: “This is an important moment for the industry, as we consolidate the power of the trusted Microban and Ultra-Fresh brands under one company – Microban International. At Microban International, our brands are truly our strength, and with this move, we will continue to build our brand presence in the consumer, building, textiles, commercial and healthcare sectors, and leverage our capabilities to become a trusted household name and continue as the reigning global market leader.”

Click here to learn more about Microban International.

About Microban International

Part of Barr Brands International (BBI), Microban International is home to the most trusted and well-known global brands in the antimicrobial, odor control, and sanitization / disinfection markets – Microban^® and Ultra-Fresh^®. Our organization has experienced over 100 collective years of growth and has revolutionized the industry. As the global leader, our proactive systems keep products cleaner, and control odors better by preventing problems before they start. Microban International drives innovation by combining science and creative solutions that enhance high-quality consumer, textile, industrial and medical products around the world. Today, the Microban and Ultra-Fresh brands and our technologies are featured on thousands of products worldwide. The company is headquartered in North Carolina with operations in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.microban.com.

Company Website

http://www.microban.com

#MicrobanInternational

• APAC expansion: Leading global product discovery platform, RangeMe, has opened retailers in APAC to their global community of suppliers, increasing their choice of brands from 20,000 to 200,000.
• Retailers: A range of retailers, including Blooms The Chemist, Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse, Pet Circle and Pet Culture have started connecting to global suppliers.
• Suppliers: RangeMe’s global supplier base of 200,000 companies will now be visible to retailers in the APAC region.
• Trend: Online retail sales have doubled in just 5 years across APAC, retailers are keen to optimise this opportunity. Meanwhile, APAC global consumption forms 50% of total global numbers. Demand is growing for a wider range of products.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA and SAN FRANCISCO, USA – News Direct – 15 July 2021 – The world’s largest product discovery and sourcing platform, RangeMe has fully launched its global service to retailers in Australia, New Zealand, and the wider APAC region. Prior to today, retailers using RangeMe in this region were able to access 20,000 local suppliers but will now join their counterparts around the world to access over 200,000 suppliers. Buyers have already started using RangeMe at retailers including health and beauty retailer, Blooms The Chemist, Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse, and pet retailers, Pet Circle and Pet Culture, among others.

Nicky Jackson, CEO of RangeMe

This expansion into APAC comes hot on the heels of RangeMe’s launch in the U.K. earlier this month as it scales operations worldwide. RangeMe first launched in 2013 and is used today by over 12,000 retailers in the U.S., including Walmart, Sephora, Walgreens, and Albertsons. It has quickly established itself as the industry leader for retail product discovery and sourcing by becoming the world’s largest source of brands and products purchased by retail buyers.

Michael Foran, Head of Merchandise Operations at Blooms The Chemist, commented: “We have stores across Australia and with that a diverse range of customers. We challenge ourselves every day to ensure we have the most relevant products in-store to meet their needs. RangeMe will provide us the means to reach global suppliers and help us source products that resonate with our customers. Not only this but we will aim to be faster to market with the latest items through RangeMe for our customers”.

RangeMe helps retailers and their buying teams scale product sourcing efforts with streamlined submissions, simplified discovery tools, and the industry standard digital sell sheet. Buyers can filter searches to find brands and products meeting exact sourcing needs, seamless connectivity and collaboration with suppliers, and offering curated collections to help identify and understand category trends and emerging brands.

“We built RangeMe to connect buyers and suppliers anywhere in the world. Our expansion in the APAC region is a natural extension of this vision. Through this expansion, we will enable buyers a wider view of the market and support them to serve the needs of their consumers. We’re delighted that several retailers have joined RangeMe’s family of buyers looking to expand choice on their aisles. This will be a transformative experience for their buyers,” said Nicky Jackson, CEO of RangeMe.

RangeMe also invites suppliers in the region to join the platform for a front-row audience of the biggest high street retailers globally. It is a single place to represent their brand and products to a network of thousands of retail buyers. RangeMe helps suppliers grow their retail relationships with a platform that gives them the tools and insights to manage their products, market their brand, and build awareness.

RangeMe is the global online platform where retailers and suppliers can discover, connect, and grow their business. Suppliers can showcase their range, bring new products to market, increase brand visibility, and grow sales, while buyers use RangeMe to discover new products, search trends, and communicate directly with brands.

“Our mission has always been to empower retailers and suppliers to be productive and successful. The world has become a smaller place, but it remains distant for forging strong cross-border buyer and seller relationships. RangeMe will bridge this gap for buyers and sellers around the world and ensure extraordinary products hit store shelves faster than ever before,” added Nicky Jackson.

About RangeMe

RangeMe, an ECRM company, is the leading online platform that streamlines new product discovery between suppliers and retailers. The platform empowers retail buyers to efficiently discover innovative and emerging products, while streamlining the inbound product submission process. For product suppliers, RangeMe enables them to grow their retail relationships with a platform that gives them the tools to manage their products, market their brand, and build awareness. Now integrated into the ECRM product offering, RangeMe adds increased breadth and depth to the industry’s most complete sourcing solution for top retailers and product suppliers.

#RangeMe