Debated in Parliament on 22 Nov 2023.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the current number of skilled tradesmen working in Singapore; (b) what is the breakdown in number by (i) Singaporeans, (ii) Permanent Residents and (iii) foreigners; (c) what are the (i) average and (ii) median salaries; and (d) what are the (i) average and (ii) median ages.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what will be the trend of demand for skilled tradesmen in Singapore’s future economy; and (b) what has been the outcome so far on the Government’s efforts in attracting more young Singaporeans to trade jobs.
There are a total of 53,000 residents and 133,000 non-residents employed under the major occupational group of “Craftsmen and Related Trades Workers”. This occupational group covers a wide range of trades requiring varying levels of skill, including building and related trades workers, metal and machinery workers, and electrical and electronic trades workers. The median and average salaries of full-time employed residents in this occupational group are $2,700 and $3,100 respectively, while their median and average ages are 56 and 53 years.
Demand trends for skilled trades workers differ across trades. Some trades, such as plumbing and electrical works, provide essential services and will always be in demand, even though the nature of these jobs will evolve as technology augments various tasks. Today, there are various learning and training programmes in place to develop a sustainable pipeline of locals for skilled trades.
For example, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) delivers entry-level ITE Skills Certificate courses in Electrical Wiring and Residential Plumbing as well as related Part-time Nitec and Higher Nitec courses for adult learners in these fields.
Apart from ITE, there are also training institutions offering upskilling courses, including courses funded by SkillsFuture Singapore, for mid-career tradespeople. Examples include the Building and Construction Authority’s BCA Academy and the Singapore Institute of Power and Gas.
A whole-of-society effort will be needed to better recognise the diverse contributions of tradespeople whose services are essential to our daily lives. As part of Forward Singapore, the Government is working with NTUC, industry associations and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to develop new initiatives to professionalise skilled trades, such as by offering clearer career and skills progression ladders. At the same time, consumers and employers must also be willing to fairly reward tradespeople who have honed their skills to provide high quality services. We will announce details of these initiatives at a later date.
PAPERCUTS