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Skills in digital, green and care sectors expected to be in demand: SkillsFuture report

SINGAPORE — There is a rising number of job opportunities in the digital, green and care economies, based on an inaugural yearly report from national skills agency SkillsFuture Singapore.

The main growth areas identified in government agency SkillsFuture Singapore's inaugural Skills Demand for the Future Economy report are the digital economy, the green economy and the care economy.
The main growth areas identified in government agency SkillsFuture Singapore's inaugural Skills Demand for the Future Economy report are the digital economy, the green economy and the care economy.
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  • SkillsFuture Singapore has unveiled its first-ever yearly Skills Demand for the Future Economy report 
  • It looks at the top skills needed in emerging economic growth areas
  • The three growth areas highlighted are based on Singapore's economic priorities in the coming years

SINGAPORE — There is a rising number of job opportunities in the digital, green and care economies, based on an inaugural yearly report from national skills agency SkillsFuture Singapore.

The inaugural Skills Demand for the Future Economy report highlights jobs that are likely to be in demand over the next three years, and the skills and training needed to take on such roles in these growth areas.

The care economy, for example, refers to a cluster of jobs and skills that provide care, wellness and learning services for various segments of Singapore's population.

The top skills in demand for the digital economy include technological application and development as well as data analysis and engineering.

In the green economy — which involves the development of products and services that will achieve positive environmental outcomes — coveted skills include designing processes to lower the environmental impact of making a product as well as carbon footprint management.

As for the care economy, the top skills are conduct and ethics, and the management of stakeholders. 

The report's findings are based on SkillsFuture Singapore's database of job types and listings, business, labour and market intelligence as well as contributions from experts. 

Launching the report on Wednesday (Dec 8), Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said that the economic disruptions caused by Covid-19 have shown that the pace of change in the workplace would only quicken in the future.

“The nature of jobs will also evolve more quickly. It is therefore not a matter of 'if', but 'when' the skills we possess today will no longer be relevant.”

The three growth areas highlighted are in tandem with Singapore's economic priorities in the coming years, which have been set out in plans by government groups such as the Future Economy Council and the National Research Foundation.

For each growth area, the report lists 20 of the most widely needed skills that workers need to stay competitive, based on the roles that are likely to be in demand.

The report also suggests courses under the SkillsFuture lifelong-learning movement that jobseekers may take up to acquire these skills. 

Mr Chan said that SkillsFuture Singapore would release this report every year to keep pace with the rapid changes in technology and job requirements.

The nature of jobs will also evolve more quickly. It is therefore not a matter of 'if', but 'when' the skills we possess today will no longer be relevant.
Education Minister Chan Chun Sing

DIGITAL ECONOMY

At present, digital economy jobs are needed across a range of industries, the report said.

They include all sectors covered under Singapore’s industry transformation maps, which were launched in 2016 as road maps to drive transformation for 23 industries across manufacturing, the built environment, trade and connectivity, essential domestic services, modern services and lifestyle.

The report splits these jobs into “tech-lite” and “tech-heavy” roles. 

Tech-lite roles, which do not require specialised or advanced technology skills, include data analysts, digital marketing analysts and customer insights specialists.

These roles are most in demand in the financial services and the air and sea transport sectors.

As for tech-heavy roles, they include software engineers, data scientists and artificial intelligence engineers.

Such roles are needed most in the aerospace, land transport, and info-communications technology and media sectors.

20211208_DIGITALECONOMY_SAMUEL
Infographics: Samuel Woo/TODAY

 

GREEN ECONOMY

The green economy is composed of enterprises that are restructuring and creating new business functions by shifting from environmentally harmful business activities to greener ones, the report said.

At present, more than 450 roles across 17 sectors require green skills, such as managing sustainability efforts and frameworks for environmental management.

The sectors include manufacturing, trade and connectivity, financial services, hospitality and the built environment.

20211208_GREENECONOMY_SAMUEL
Infographics: Samuel Woo/TODAY

 

CARE ECONOMY

Demand for Singapore workers in the care economy is expected to rise with Singapore’s ageing population as well as the evolving demands for care, work and learning, Mr Chan said.

Jobs in the care economy refer to those that provide services such as healthcare, wellness, community care and education.

20211208_CARECONOMY_SAMUEL
Infographics: Samuel Woo/TODAY

Related topics

SkillsFuture Singapore SkillsFuture Chan Chun Sing skills training Jobs

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