Building Better Livelihoods from Mining I Strengthening Local Employment and Workforce Development in Asia-Pacific Mining

Mining plays a significant and growing role in the economies of Asia-Pacific. The global shift towards clean energy technologies – electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage – is driving sustained demand for the region’s abundant mineral resources, including nickel, copper, cobalt, lithium, and rare earths. Countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, and Mongolia are well positioned to benefit, and ADB’s critical minerals-to-manufacturing strategy highlights the region’s potential to create quality jobs and drive inclusive growth through responsible mineral development. 

Realising this potential depends in large part on how effectively the benefits of mining activity are shared with local communities – and in particular, on the quality of employment opportunities that mining creates for local workers. Across the region, there is significant scope to strengthen local workforce participation: through skills development, clearer frameworks for local hiring, improved working conditions, and better coordination between governments, industry, and development partners. 

At the same time, technological change – including automation and digitalisation – is reshaping what mining employment looks like, creating both challenges and opportunities for local workforces. Planning ahead for these shifts is an important part of ensuring that mining contributes to sustained, inclusive development in the communities where it operates. 

This webinar brings together expertise from international labour standards, development finance, and industry practice to share experience, examine practical approaches, and identify opportunities to strengthen local employment outcomes in Asia-Pacific’s mining sector.