In 2021, our workforce training participation rate reached a high of 50% amidst the pandemic, with a record
Number of 660,000 individuals participating in upskilling and reskilling efforts funded by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). Demand for workforce reskilling and upskilling is expected to rise in tandem with the needs of the Digital Economy, Green Economy, and Care Economy.
The aspiration is for lifelong learning to be the cutting edge of our workforce and our economy, to enable Singaporeans access to more and better jobs, and to adapt well to a shortening shelf-life of skills. To achieve this ambition, it cannot be business-as-usual for the Training and Adult Education (TAE) sector. For those involved in TAE, new skills and new capabilities need to be acquired.
This inaugural Jobs-Skills Quarterly Insights highlights three emerging trends that are driving the demand or TAE jobs and skills:
1. Education Technologies (EdTech) and related skills are powering the TAE business. Today, our universities, private education institutions, and training organisations are amongst the top hiring companies for emerging roles such as Instructional Designers and Technologists. The top skills in demand for these roles include Learning Solution Design, Technology-Enabled Learning Delivery, and Curriculum Design *, as organisations strive for closer integration between technology, learning and performance enhancement.
2. There is increased recognition of the criticality of workplace learning, and the need for capabilities to organise the workplace for learning. Based on job posting data, demand for workplace learning roles such as learning-performance consultant has more than doubled between Q2 2021 to Q1 2022. The top skills in demand for these roles include Project Management, Learning and Development, and Learning Mode Design, as well as critical core skills such as Creative Thinking, Digital Fluency, and Learning Agility.
3. Career/learning counselling and coaching-related skills have risen in significance and demand, to translate industry trends and business transformations to tangible actions that can be taken by individuals who want to enhance their workplace performance or prepare for career pivoting. With increasing need for personalised advice and coaching, the top skills in demand for these roles include People Capability Development, Performance Management, and Workplace Performance Diagnosis. More companies are investing in these in-house capabilities, spurring demand for new roles such as Career/Workplace Coaches.