Lifelong learning key pillar of Singapore’s workforce development

Employees in Singapore must take ownership of their own careers through continuous reskilling and upskilling. This, said Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Lawrence Wong, will allow them to take up better jobs and opportunuties throughout their working lives.

During his May Day Rally speech, DPM Wong highlighted how the government will continue to invest in employees, making skills training and lifelong learning a main aspect for employees, with special attention spent on employees in blue-collar roles.

He added, “We will help them deepen their skills through different pathways, so they can secure better salaries and career paths in the professions they have trained for and have the aptitude for.”

As technologies such as AI and ChatGPT continue to impact the way organisations work, professionals, managers, and executives (PMEs) must also reskill and upskill, or risk being made redundant, DPM Wong cautioned.

“Integrating new technologies like AI into our work will bring sweeping changes, including for highly-trained workers.  We must expect more human tasks to be taken over by machines.  Some existing skills will no longer be so useful, but new skills will be needed. And that’s why we must continually reskill and upskill,” he said.

READ: Singapore focuses on skills to improve employability of workforce

Moving forward, the government will also focus on uplifting lower-wage employees, providing more support to allow those who have lost their jobs to re-enter the workforce, and ensuring that the retirement needs of all employees are met, the minister revealed.