SG Transport Minister: Younger Singaporean workers will require continuous retraining as they’re unlikely to work with just one employer for long

Summary

• As younger Singaporeans are expected to change employers more often, Singapore’s focus should shift towards continuous retraining throughout their careers rather than before employment.

• Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said Singapore’s ageing population and low birth rate make it vital to invest more heavily in developing every worker’s skills.

• More than 7,700 stakeholders contributed to the Economic Strategy Review, which outlines 32 recommendations to strengthen jobs, growth and economic resilience.

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s workforce is heading into an era where changing jobs may become the norm rather than the exception. This means that learning can’t stop after graduation.

Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow, who is also Second Minister for Finance, said Singapore must place greater focus on helping workers retrain throughout their careers as younger generations are expected to move between employers far more than their parents did.

Speaking at a dialogue organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Mr Siow said the days of spending decades with a single employer are fading. Instead, many workers will build careers across different companies and roles, making new skills a lifelong need rather than a one-time investment, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (Aug 3).

Lifelong learning becomes part of every career

Mr Siow said Singapore’s education system has traditionally focused on preparing people before they enter the workforce. He believes that balance will change towards helping people while they are already working or between jobs.

In practical terms, workers may return for training several times during their careers to pick up new skills, prepare for different industries or stay relevant as jobs change.

Mr Siow made the remarks while answering a question about the Economic Strategy Review (ESR), released in May, which contains 32 recommendations aimed at strengthening Singapore’s economy, jobs and resilience over the next decade.

Fewer workers mean bigger investment in each person

Mr Siow said Singapore’s ageing population and very low birth rate mean the country will have fewer local workers in the years ahead.

Rather than seeing it only as a weakness, he said Singapore can turn it into an advantage by investing more in each worker. This includes making retraining more accessible and encouraging companies to upgrade the skills of Singaporean employees.

He added that Singapore already has a strong foundation through SkillsFuture, which can help the country address future manpower pressures.

Economic roadmap draws ideas from thousands of stakeholders across Singapore

Mr Siow said the ESR was created to test whether the conditions that helped Singapore succeed in the past still apply today. The review also prepares the country for the next five to 10 years, with global tensions and tighter energy supplies expected to shape the economy.

More than 7,700 stakeholders, including business leaders, workers, unions, trade groups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and academics, took part in the consultation process.

The Transport Minister said one of the review’s biggest strengths was bringing together groups that rarely worked side by side. Singapore’s size, he added, allows different sectors to cooperate more closely in tackling economic challenges.

Mr Siow also said that building a strong economy is a shared responsibility among political leaders, the public service, businesses, and the community.

Singapore has spent years encouraging lifelong learning, but Mr Siow’s comments suggest the next step is to make retraining a routine part of working life rather than something people turn to only after losing a job.

That forward-looking approach could help workers stay prepared as industries and technology continue to evolve.

Career changes may become more common, but staying curious and willing to learn is still one of the best ways for people to stay valuable, whatever the future job market brings.

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