Knowledge and Skills Gaps Identified in Singaporean Core Workforce and Interventions Needed to Address Them

Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what are the gaps in the Singaporean core workforce identified by foreign chambers of commerce in term of (i) specialised skills (ii) technical skills (iii) knowledge and (iv) experience including overseas exposure; and (b) what are the interventions which the Ministry is undertaking on its own or with other Ministries and parties to address such gaps in the next three years.

Feedback from foreign chambers of commerce often highlight a shortage of technical skills, particularly in information technology (IT), as well as relevant experience, including overseas experience, as some of the obstacles in hiring locals for certain jobs. The Ministry of Manpower's Job Vacancies Report 2023 found that over 40% of professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMET) vacancies that were unfilled for at least six months were hard to fill due to a lack of necessary specialised skills or work experience, particularly in IT roles, like software developers.

These challenges are driven by rapid technological advancements and other developments, which lead to jobs transforming and requiring new skills. To support Singaporeans to acquire these emerging skills, the Government invests heavily in upskilling through programmes providing industry-recognised training, such as Workforce Singapore's (WSG's) Career Conversion Programmes and SkillsFuture Singapore's SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme. The Government will provide jobs and skills insights to empower Singaporeans to take charge of their careers and plan ahead, through the 17 Jobs Transformation Maps that provide job-level insights on emerging skills and the CareersFinder digital service that provides personalised, data-driven jobs and skills recommendations.

In addition, the Government supports businesses to expand opportunities for Singaporeans to gain overseas experience. The Economic Development Board has introduced the Global Business Leaders Programme to support companies sending Singaporean employees with leadership potential on overseas postings. WSG will launch the Overseas Markets Immersion Programme for local employees with limited overseas experience, providing valuable on-the-job training abroad.