ICT, healthcare among sectors being studied to forecast skills demand

Information and communications technology (ICT), healthcare and engineering are among the sectors a labour movement unit is studying, in an effort to forecast where the demand for skills are in emerging sectors.

Formed in January, the National Trades Union Congress’ (NTUC) Future Jobs, Skills and Training Unit works with the tripartite partners, including the Government, to forecast new skills and develop training programmes.

Speaking to TODAY, NTUC assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay, who helms the unit, said yesterday that the plan is to put out regular reports for the sectors identified about once in two months. The report for the ICT sector is set to be released later this month, followed by the healthcare sector’s by July.

In March, the unit released its inaugural report for the financial sector. Among other things, it showed the 10 top technical skills in demand across four levels: Entry, Professional/Specialist, Middle Management, and Senior Management.

It also discussed the technologies to watch in the sector, such as artificial intelligence and financial technology, with job demand forecast in areas such as data analytics, compliance and cyber security.

Mr Tay said the information is circulated to a wide network, including the labour movement’s partners through social media, union leaders, the newly formed U Career Network, which includes volunteers who serve as “employability ambassadors” as well as the NTUC’s network of career coaches.

On Monday, union leaders told TODAY that the Government could do more to point those without a job to where the vacancies are. They noted that some workers have been less than enthusiastic in upgrading themselves as they are sceptical of whether there would be new jobs waiting for them after they pick up new skills. KENNETH CHENG