Corporate trainers and teachers in emerging fields high in demand

SINGAPORE - The demand for those who can teach and train in emerging fields – from artificial intelligence to data science – has surged as companies race to upskill their workforce in response to an evolving economy. But experts said filling these roles can be challenging, with both public and private sectors vying for the same talent.

Teachers and trainers emerged as the

most sought-after professionals in 2024,

overtaking software, web and multimedia developers, who topped the list of professional, managerial, executive and technical vacancies in the previous two years, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in its annual Job Vacancies Report on March 28.

MOM added that teaching and training positions make up 10 per cent of the total number of professional vacancies.

Professional networking platform LinkedIn also noted a marked increase in jobs within Singapore’s education sector, with the number of listings jumping 65 per cent year on year in December 2024.

The number continued to trend upwards at 66 per cent in January and 69 per cent in February, reflecting a “clear and sustained increase” in education-related roles, said Ms Chua Pei Ying, LinkedIn’s Apac head economist.

“With 70 per cent of the skills used in most jobs projected to change by 2030, educators who can design and adapt curricula to keep pace with industry needs are in high demand,” she added.

LinkedIn data also reflected that the human resources industry is actively hiring teachers and training specialists. Sectors like engineering services and technology are also recruiting more corporate trainers.

Mr Ho Seong Kim, chief executive of Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) Academy, said the shorter and faster cycles of disruption have driven a shift towards continuous learning for working adults.

“The rise of skills-based hiring has accelerated demand for trainers who can bridge theory with practice,” said Mr Ho.

Competition for talent

But finding specialised, industry-specific teachers and trainers can be a tall order.

For instance, training roles focusing on data literacy may be harder to fill because both the public and private sectors are likely to be competing for talent with such expertise, said Mr Lim Zhirong, a certified Institute for Human Resource Professionals master professional.

Finding instructors with the right balance of technical and soft skills can also be a unique challenge, said Ms Sima Saadat, the Singapore country manager of General Assembly, which runs boot camps designed to help mid-career professionals transition into software engineering, data analytics and UX design.

“Tech instructors, especially those who focus on imparting job-ready skills to learners of diverse backgrounds, require qualities such as empathy and the ability to adapt curriculum delivery to different learning styles – and not just teaching knowledge or industry experience,” she said. 

SIM Academy’s Mr Ho said adult learners tend to be “more demanding” and expect their trainers to go beyond theory or standard case studies. 

“They will push the faculty with real-life problems and scenarios. Hence, a faculty (member) needs a good combination of knowledge, practical industry experience and the ability to convey the lessons effectively.”

He added that many industry professionals might hesitate to transition into teaching due to concerns around compensation competitiveness, especially for those in senior roles. Some might not want to give up flexible work arrangement, or lack the required pedagogical training or the passion to teach.

Making the leap

Mr Waseem Sheriff, lead data science instructor at General Assembly, is among those who made the switch to full-time teaching after spending eight years in the data science and analytics field.

The career switch felt natural, as he had always found it rewarding to mentor juniors and help his colleagues understand complex data concepts.

His day-to-day job now involves preparing lessons, supporting students, evaluating project work and keeping up with evolving tools and techniques to ensure that the curriculum and course materials are up to date.

“Teaching is more challenging in the sense that it stretches me beyond just technical mastery – it pushes me to become a better communicator, mentor and coach,” he said.

“It’s demanding, but in a different way and rhythm compared to working in the industry.”

A deep satisfaction also comes in knowing that he can help others grow their careers in the data field. “I wanted to make a more direct impact, especially towards adult learners and career switchers,” he said.

As a full-time teacher, he said his pay and job security depend on the stability of the training provider and economic cycles – just like tech roles. But the journey has been “incredibly rewarding”, he added.

For the Ministry of Education (MOE), hiring has remained stable from 2018 to 2022,

with about 650 teachers recruited a year.

It used to hire about 2,000 to 3,000 teachers a year between 2004 and 2012 when it was scaling up the teaching pool.

An MOE spokesperson said the ministry will continue its recruitment efforts to attract fresh graduates and mid-career switchers to maintain a high-quality teaching workforce.