Most Young People in ASEAN Want to Work for Startups

A World Economic Forum (WEF) survey of 56,000 young people aged 15-35 in Southeast Asia (ASEAN) reveals a strong desire to work in the technology sector. 33% of respondents want to work for or establish a startup in the future. This figure represents a 2% increase compared to the current 31% who are currently working for or have established a startup.

The second most popular sector among young people in ASEAN is multinational corporations. 19% of respondents aspire to work for a multinational corporation in the future. This is a 10% increase compared to the current reality, where 9% of respondents work for multinational corporations.

Meanwhile, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are not popular among young people in ASEAN. Only 8% of respondents expressed a desire to work in this sector. This is despite SMEs being the backbone of the ASEAN economy. Currently, 18% of the ASEAN workforce is employed in this sector.

This survey is a collaboration between the WEF and SEA, one of the largest internet companies in Southeast Asia. The survey was conducted using the e-commerce platform Shopee and the game Garena, both subsidiaries of SEA.