Strengthening the skills awareness of the unemployed and their training activity through the adoption of skills-based hiring

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Ms See Jinli Jean, Nominated Member of Parliament

Question

To ask the Minister for Education in view of the Labour Force in Singapore 2024 report which states that more unemployed non-trainees did not know what skills to pick up or improve on to stay relevant to job demands (a) whether motivating and equipping more employers to pivot to skills-based hiring can help increase overall training intensity; (b) if so, how will the Ministry do so; and (c) how will the Government translate such efforts into placement outcomes for industries like information and communications where the unemployment rate has risen.

Response

1. Individuals who are unsure of which skills to invest in can refer to the online jobs-skills insights, resources and tools on the Jobs-Skills Portal developed by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and GovTech. Those who prefer one-to-one consultation can visit Workforce Singapore's (WSG's) or e2i's career centres to find out what career options best match their interest and skills and also engage SSG's Skills Ambassadors for personalised course recommendations.

2. Employers can certainly create greater confidence for individuals to pursue industry-relevant training by adopting skills-based hiring practices. These practices include identifying their skills needs, articulating them clearly in the job requirements and also recognising individuals' skills and competencies attained rather than relying only on credentials and qualifications alone. It is in employers' interest to do so because they will benefit from having access to a wider talent pool.

3. To further encourage employers to adopt skills-based hiring, the Ministry of Manpower, WSG and SSG have launched the Career Health SG. This initiative equips employers with tools and resources, including those developed by the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, to practise skills-first hiring and develop their workforce.

4. In addition, SSG works closely with industry intermediaries to strengthen sectoral skills development pathways. For example, the Singapore Computer Society, one of SSG's Skills Development Partners, launched the Skills Pathway for Cybersecurity last year, presenting a clearer career roadmap for individuals to enter the cybersecurity field or for existing cybersecurity professionals to upskill. It brings together key employers in the sector to recognise the professional skills that individuals need to obtain to be considered for interviews and internships and this can improve their employability too.