High flyers seldom get retrenched because they are leaders or top sales people. Those are skills you can't pick up at some WDA workshop. Good organizations recognize the true value of staff with exceptional leadership and sales qualities.
Most sinkies spend too much time building their self worth around their academic results and certification, thinking that these are the epitome of meritocracy. Your certs are made obsolete with new technology and by cheaper, better, faster and younger staff.
Ah Gong is the classic example of having great vision and leadership. Hence, he could serve Singapore till his dying breath and was never voted out. Chiam is at the other end of the spectrum. He was only useful when he was young. Once he hit his 60s and 70s, people started to abandon ship and choose a younger and more energy sitoh to take over. Sinkies and towkays are pragmatic people. They only want the best. The rest can be easily replaced no matter how many upgrading courses they take.
That's why I insist my kids take up leadership roles in school and in volunteer work. My son will also go to OCS to get the best military leadership training Singapore can give. He's a CEO and future minister in the making.