SINGAPORE: The latest report by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), highlighted in a recent Channel News Asia (CNA) article, reveals that creative skills are no longer confined to traditionally creative sectors. Seven out of ten non-creative roles now require these abilities, and the job skills landscape is evolving rapidly.
Creative skills expanding beyond traditional boundaries
The latest edition of SSG’s annual skills report highlights the growing importance of creativity across various industries. Non-creative job roles, such as software developers and restaurant managers, are increasingly expected to incorporate creative skills into their work. Software developers, for instance, must understand design principles to create user-friendly apps. Similarly, restaurant managers are required to hone branding and customer engagement skills in addition to operational duties.
This trend underscores the shifting demands of the modern workforce, where creative thinking is crucial even in non-creative fields.
The rise of transferable creative skills
According to the SSG report, 40 creative skills have become more transferable since 2019, reflecting their growing relevance across job roles. Singapore has about 150,000 creative professionals, with one-third employed in innovative industries like media, architecture, and product design. The remaining two-thirds work in various sectors outside the creative industry, underscoring the broad applicability of these skills. Alongside creativity, expertise in business, finance, and people management remains in high demand, particularly in the creative industries.
The role of artificial intelligence in shaping creative work
As technology continues to shape the future of work, the SSG report delves into the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on creative fields. During the report’s launch, Minister of State for Education Gan Siow Huang emphasized that while generative AI tools can assist in creative endeavours, ethical considerations must guide their use. The report also highlights a growing concern among creative professionals, with 34.5% expressing a negative view of generative AI’s role in their work. Over half of those surveyed have used AI tools in their creative processes, noting the importance of blending human creativity with AI capabilities to produce high-quality outcomes.
The shift towards AI and cloud-based tools in the job market
The SSG report also highlights the rising demand for proficiency in digital tools, particularly AI-related ones. Analysing over 5,000 digital applications and tools used between 2019 and 2023, the report reveals that IT, engineering, and research roles are seeing a significant increase in demand for AI skills, including proficiency in programming languages like Python and tools such as Microsoft Azure and AWS Cloud9. As employers increasingly adopt cloud services to enhance business processes, the need for employees skilled in these technologies continues to rise.
SSG also launched a new online portal responding to the growing demand for data and insights on jobs and skills. This platform provides detailed dashboards that help users navigate career transitions and explore job requirements, skills, and trends in the evolving job market.
As the line between creative and non-creative industries continues to blur, the importance of fostering creativity and embracing digital tools has never been more evident. The future of work will undoubtedly rely on a blend of human ingenuity and technological advancements.
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