• The new Beauty Services Alliance comprises five trade associations 
• It aims to expand the industry’s Singapore workforce by 30 per cent by 2025
• Singapore’s beauty services industry comprises about 6,000 businesses

SINGAPORE — A new alliance started by the beauty services industry on Wednesday (Aug 26) aims to create more jobs for Singaporeans in the next five years by building a workforce of skilled professionals and raising service consistency.

Formed by five trade associations in the beauty and wellness sectors, the Beauty Services Alliance also launched its first competency framework with the aim of creating up to 3,000 jobs by 2025. This is expected to expand the industry’s Singapore workforce by 30 per cent.

When asked by the media about the jobs that will be created, the alliance did not specify the roles.

The framework includes sector information, such as key statistics and emerging trends that can be used by training providers to design courses and certifications in line with industry needs.

It also provides career maps for beauty professionals, and guides employers in making decisions on recruitment as well as skills development and talent management for employees.

Speaking at the launch of the alliance on Wednesday, Ms Low Yen Ling, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, said that the global beauty services industry is valued at about S$730 billion.

In Singapore, its 6,000 businesses account for 10 per cent of enterprises here and the industry generates about S$2 billion in operating receipts. It employs more than 13,000 workers.

Industry players run the gamut from hairdressing firms to nail salons.

“Not only is this a large industry, it is one with a strong growth potential. It has been expanding at a rate of more than 10 per cent year-on-year,” Ms Low said. 

“With the increased consumer focus globally on healthy lifestyles, personal wellness, grooming and general well-being, this industry will continue to gain importance in the lives of both women and men alike.” 

Ms Low added that the establishment of the Beauty Services Alliance will strengthen its potential and growth.

With the Covid-19 pandemic restricting international travel, more Singaporeans have to look for beauty and wellness services here, she noted.

“With strength in consumer demand, there is potential for new job opportunities. Therefore, an industry-wide competency framework will set the foundation and structure for businesses, employers and employees in the sector to upskill, reskill and stay relevant with new knowledge,” said Ms Low.  

She said the alliance would work with the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry to set up its operational structure and burnish its industry development capabilities.

FRAMEWORK TO SERVE AS A GUIDE

The competency framework, supported by government agencies Enterprise Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore, deals with two key challenges confronting Singapore’s beauty services industry: Attracting Singaporean talent, and upgrading the skills of workers to keep pace with emerging trends and technology.

Mr Simon Lim, founder of the Hair and Cosmetology Association Singapore and a member of the Beauty Services Alliance, said that excluding freelancers, Singaporeans now make up only 40 per cent of the workforce.

He hopes that the proportion of Singaporean workers in the sector will increase in the next few years, as the framework raises awareness among industry players and beauty professionals of the various ways they may upgrade their skills. 

This will then give them a clearer direction and vision in their career of choice. 

Ten businesses, including hair and beauty chain Jean Yip Group, have so far adopted the framework, said the alliance.

Freelance hairstylist Edwin Wong, 35, who works at various salons including those run by the Jean Yip Group, said he was heartened to see structured training more readily accessible with the launch of the framework. 

He said: “When I started as an apprentice, hairdressing training sessions were conducted in-house, and often lacked consistency in the quality and content.

“With (a framework) that details the skills expected of each job, there is now a common understanding that will help employers make hiring, training and promotion decisions better.”