MOM hints at further changes

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has announced its plans to help Singapore employers cope with emerging skills gaps in the workforce, including a new training scheme and a selectively-flexible foreign labour policy.

Later this year, the ministry will launch a SkillsFuture initiative for businesses. This will help HR provide better training and development programs to staff.

The initiative also aims to help enhance the organisation’s human resource systems, structures and processes, said MOM.

The existing SkillsFuture program provides resources, funding and courses to individual Singaporeans looking to deepen their skills in a wide variety of fields, reported The Straits Times.

Additionally, MOM will work through economic agencies and provide selective flexibility in its foreign manpower policy.

This will serve as a short-term solution for firms grappling with any shortage of skills in times of transformation, Teo added.

She also urged employers to play their part and transform.

On top of efforts to address oncoming skills gaps, MOM will also work towards perpetuating more inclusive and progressive workplaces.

This is a follow-up from Teo’s May Day message, where she issued a clarion call for mindset change.

She said that inclusive workplace policies are crucial to ensure that Singapore can “progress as a society”.

Employers are thus advised to adopt flexible and progressive policies.