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New Jobs Taskforce to grow local talent for key sectors: Tan See Leng
Manpower Minister Tan See Leng speaking to the press at the Ministry of Manpower headquarters on Sep 1, 2021. (Photo: Ili Nadhirah Mansor/TODAY)
Chew Hui Min
02 Sep 2021 06:00PM (Updated: 02 Sep 2021 06:00PM)
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SINGAPORE: A new Jobs Taskforce has been set up to coordinate the efforts of various agencies helping workers keep pace with transformation, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng on Wednesday (Sep 1).
The task force will focus on three areas: Supporting locals to switch into new careers in key sectors; reskilling existing workers for new or expanded job scopes as these sectors transform; and promoting progressive human capital practices.
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Dr Tan announced this to reporters in an interview marking his first 100 days in office. Dr Tan took over the reins at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on May 15 and he is concurrently the Second Minister for Trade and Industry.
On how this task force is different from the National Jobs Council, set up last year and chaired by Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Dr Tan said that the council looks at the issue from the “macro level” and the task force will be more “granular”.
The Jobs Taskforce will try to understand the evolving needs of companies, where skills shortages lie and how to help fulfil them.
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It will be chaired by Dr Tan and comprise members from agencies working on industry transformation and workforce development.There are eight members in the task force, including Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for Health and for Manpower and Mr Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
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Dr Tan said he will hold dialogue sessions with different groups of workers, trade associations and companies in the lead up to Budget 2022.
“These dialogues will allow us to see where the mismatches and missed matches are and explore what more we can do to better support our job seekers, workers and businesses,” he said.
“BOUNCE BACK FASTER AND EMERGE STRONGER”
On the Manpower Ministry’s priorities and plans ahead, Dr Tan said: “The first thing is to create good jobs, create high-level, proper career paths for Singaporeans and ensure that they continually have access to these opportunities.“And for those individuals, who will … be affected by change, because of all the disruption, the shortening of the economic cycles and so on, we want to help them bounce back faster and also emerge stronger.”
It is equally important to continue to uplift vulnerable groups such as lower-wage workers and people with disabilities, so that no one is left behind, he said.
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On that, the ministry will also focus on narrowing the income gap between the median wage earners and the lowest 20th percentile, look at the needs of gig economy workers and help mature workers stay relevant in a fast-changing economy.Dr Tan said that he is particularly concerned about mature workers who have been harder-hit by COVID-19. While many have been helped by career conversion programmes, there is more that can be done, he said.
“Many still have the perception that older workers are not as open or adaptable as their younger counterparts. This is not true, and we need to shift our mindsets to combat ageism.”
SIMPLIFYING CPF
Touching on retirement adequacy, Dr Tan said that one of his priorities will be simplifying the Central Provident Fund (CPF), without eroding its core purpose.“While the policies are well-meaning, the complexity may sometimes make it difficult for members to understand despite our best efforts to explain. This is not optimal as a lack of understanding may hinder members from taking steps to boost their retirement adequacy,” he said.
