SINGAPORE: Elevated interest rates. Rising cost of living. High-profile layoffs. The year is shaping up to be a stressful time for many.
The World Bank predicts a sharp slowdown in the global economy this year, anticipating gross domestic product growth of 1.7%. This is the third slowest pace outside the 2009 and 2020 global recessions since 1993.
Amid the cloudy skies, how can Singaporeans stay resilient in times of uncertainty and ride the economic upturn? The answer: Through purposeful upskilling for an ever-evolving job landscape.
“Despite the challenges, many opportunities are ahead for Singapore,” says Gog Soon Joo, chief skills officer, SkillsFuture Singapore or SSG, adding that Singapore’s reputation as a reliable and trusted hub has been amplified through the pandemic.
She explains that as enterprises tap into automation and digitalisation to enhance their productivity, it is critical that the workforce be equipped with the skill sets to stay relevant and competitive.
“Technological developments are shortening the half-life of skills.
“Job content of many job roles will keep changing, and so will the skills demand to keep pace with business and industry needs,” said Gog, who is in her 50s.
Additionally, she added that changing consumer expectations, evolving business models, and the growing adoption of cross-border remote work reinforced the need for continuous learning.
“In the global talent marketplace, it requires all of us to be agile learners and keep our skills relevant so that we can capitalise on these trends effectively to create new value.”
As the pace of change across industries intensifies, employees will find that the skills composition of their jobs will evolve.
Some of the niche industry skills that employers are looking for include carbon accounting and management, infrastructure development, and sustainability and compliance reporting. — The Straits Times/ANN
