Opening Remarks by Ms Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State, Ministry of Education, at the World Youth Skills Day (Asia Pacific) Symposium

Mr Peter Lam, Principal & CEO, Temasek Polytechnic

Mr Friedrich Huebler, Head of Office, UNESCO-UNEVOC

Distinguished Guests

1. A very good afternoon to you all. I am glad to join you virtually for the inaugural World Youth Skills Day Asia Pacific 2022 Symposium. A warm welcome to student participants from Singapore and around the region.

2. First, my heartiest congratulations to Temasek Polytechnic, UNESCO-UNEVOC and our local and regional partners for organising this symposium that brings together key stakeholders and youths from Singapore and the Asia Pacific region to discuss key issues on jobs and skills of the future.

3. The theme of this year's symposium, "YOUth Matters: Celebrating Skills for the Future" is particularly apt given that we are emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected education systems worldwide. The Asian Development Bank estimated about 10-15 million youth across the Asia Pacific region lost jobs in 2020. The post-COVID economic recovery is further slowed by international tensions, including the ongoing war in Ukraine, that threaten the already fragile global supply chains. Amidst these major disruptions, how might we ensure that skills development and career resilience for young people remain key priorities, and what opportunities do we see?

4. In addressing these big questions, I would like to suggest three "I"s that we can bring into the conversations over the next two days.

"In-Demand"

5. The first "I" stands for "in-demand", and preparing youths for skills that are in-demand for the future.

1. Given the pace of technological innovations in the era of Industry 4.0, Technical and Professional Education and Training (TPET) has to respond to both current and future skills demand and business needs of enterprises.
2. In Singapore, we launched the Skills Demand for the Future Economy report in December 2021, which spotlighted the Digital Economy as an emerging, high-growth area. There is much potential in the digital technologies space, especially given the rapid pace of advancement. It was only about 15 years ago that smartphones started coming into prominence; it is exciting to think of what new technologies we will see another 10 to 15 years down the road.
3. Another emerging sector is the Green Economy. Climate change is a critical challenge for the world, and it is heartening that many youths are passionate about doing their part to address this. As we transition towards a greener economy, new industries and job opportunities will emerge for our youths, and new skills and competencies will be required.
4. Beyond developing technical skills in these two areas, the report highlights the increasing importance of soft skills for the future of work, for example, in inter-personal and cross-cultural interactions. As you listen actively to and engage one another over the next two days, you will be honing the same skillsets such as collaboration, communication and influence that are required at the workplace!
5. While the skills demand of the industry matters, let us also not forget the individuals. Your aspirations and skills interests matter in this conversation, and I would encourage you to be bold and imaginative as you navigate and seize opportunities in the future economy and contribute to our community.

"Innovation"

6. The second "I" is "innovation". I would encourage you to learn more from the speakers about how different countries have evolved their TPET systems and how they continue to innovate and enhance them in anticipation of future needs.

1. This is a good opportunity for institutions to exchange good practices and for individuals to share their experiences. While such sharing is valuable, we must also realise that there is no one-size-fits-all model. Every country will have different considerations in setting up their learning pathways and qualification frameworks.
2. In Singapore, our higher education landscape focuses on providing multiple and flexible pathways for students to discover and pursue their interests. Students who are interested in more hands-on and applied learning can develop their competencies both in and out of the classroom.
3. For example, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) offers the Work-Study Diploma to fresh and employed ITE graduates. These courses are co-developed and delivered by ITE and partner companies, and 70% of the total curriculum time is allocated to structured on-the-job training components, at both the partner companies' workplaces and ITE.
4. Such on-the-job training will become increasingly important. It allows employers to be more involved in the co-design and delivery of training curriculum, and learners to acquire and apply more industry-relevant skills. The Institutes of Higher Learning must continue to consider new innovative partnerships to strengthen the nexus between TPET institutions and industry.

"Inclusion"

7. Finally, the third "I" stands for "inclusion".

1. The TPET ecosystem must provide learning opportunities and pathways for all students, regardless of backgrounds and disabilities. Additional support and resources must be made available to students with special educational needs (SEN), so they can achieve their goals and dreams.
2. In Singapore, the Institutes of Higher Learning have SEN Support Offices that collaborate with community and industry partners to run mentorship programmes, internship placements and job matching programmes. They also work with Education and Career Guidance counsellors to provide course and career counselling.
3. The World Youth Skills Day is an excellent opportunity for us to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and form new networks and collaboration to support the learning needs of youths. I encourage you to participate actively in the conversations over the next two days. May they be geared towards future demand, innovation, and inclusion!

8. I wish all of you a fruitful and enjoyable experience at the symposium. Thank you.