To address fundamental shifts arising from changes in the global economy, the Future Economy Council (FEC) was set up in 2017 to support Singapore’s growth and transformation for the future. This includes the implementation of Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) which are sector-specific roadmaps to drive, support and help the Singapore workforce take up better jobs and empower them with future-ready skills to seize opportunities.

In 2021, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) launched their inaugural skills report¹ where three priority economic growth pillars are spotlighted. They are the Digital Economy, the Green Economy and the Care Economy. These three high-growth economies continue to be of focus in the second SSG National Skills report updated in November 2022².

THREE HIGH-GROWTH AREAS:

• The Digital Economy is driven by rapid advancements in digitalisation and adoption of digital transformation and technology across many different sectors. The Digital Economy has emerged as the key driver of growth that accelerates growth and facilitates job creation. Digital Economy jobs can be found across all 23 sectors outlined in ITMs.
• The Green Economy is driven by the adoption of greener business models and practices as enterprises ramp up on their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and sustainability practices. Today, more than 450 job roles across 17 sectors require green skills, from Built Environment, Manufacturing, Energy and Power, to ICT and Financial Services.
• The Care Economy is driven by an ageing population, evolving demands for care, and the future of work and learning. As part of national efforts to transform and protect health, advance human potential and inculcate lifelong learning, these efforts will leverage data to bring about innovations in healthcare, and teaching and learning models.

Many of the priority skills associated with these economies are highly transferable across jobs and industries. As a fresh graduate, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to explore in these three high-growth areas, such as roles in Carbon Footprint Management, Environment and Social Governance (ESG), Customer Experience Management, Software Design, Human Resource Advisory, and Training and Adult Education.

Besides job-related skills, there is an increasing emphasis on soft skills for the future of work. A 2019 study conducted by SkillsFuture SG involving approximately 80 organisations across 28 sectors, revealed that more enterprises are beginning to recognise that soft skills support their employees’ performance and business competitiveness. Soft skills such as adaptability, collaboration and self-management, are increasingly becoming critical to thrive in the modern workplace.

Read the articles in this section and keep abreast of jobs and skills trends that will impact your future career development. If you find any of the industries or job roles interesting, prioritise and acquire relevant skills in these emerging sectors and take advantage of the opportunities!