Building workforce resiliency key for Singapore

Singapore needs to develop self-reliance and self-sustaining workforce policies, said Minister of Manpower Tan See Leng, while speaking at an International Labour Organisation Conference.

‘If we don’t build that resilience, if we don’t build our own self-sustainability, then I think as a country, it will be very tough for us to be able to compete and survive,” he said, reports The Straits Times. 

The government has prioritised building a strong Singaporean core in the workforce, by accelerating technology adoption and equipping Singaporeans with skills for future jobs.

At the same time, there is also the need for a diverse workforce, comprising both locals and foreigners, as the local workforce is insufficient to meet all the needs of businesses, he said. 

It is therefore essential that Singapore can attract the right foreign workforce who will bring in the skills that will complement the local workforce, he noted.

READ: Singapore’s unemployment levels hold steady at 2.2% in April

To allow older Singaporeans to work, the government raised the retirement and re-employment age this year to 63 and 68 respectively, slated to take effect on July 1. By 2030, it plans to raise the retirement age to 65, and the re-employment age to 70.