Forum: Better to diversify skills through SkillsFuture than holding two jobs

A lady passes a SkillsFuture ad during SkillsFuture Month at the Lifelong Learning Institute on July 17, 2020. PHOTO: ST FILE

I thank MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Chong Kee Hiong for his clarification of his speech in Parliament (Important for workers to build job security, Sept 8).

I agree that diversification is crucial to build resilience and better withstand future shocks. The practice of applying different skills to do different jobs within a company, or job rotation, has been ongoing for many years.

I was tasked to perform different roles in the same company in the early years of my working life.

While many companies encourage their staff to job rotate, they face resistance from the staff themselves who are comfortable within their job scope. There is also a fear that employers may take advantage of the situation by asking employees to take up dual or more roles with no compensation.

To really cushion against any external shocks, learning a skill not in the same industry would be wiser - for example, experienced hospitality sector workers doing temporary jobs in nursing homes albeit in a junior role.

A better idea would be to encourage workers to pick up a different set of skills using their SkillsFuture credit. Allow workers to use an additional five days of annual leave to learn a new skill different from what they are doing.

The Government can compensate employers for the additional costs incurred.

As for taking on a second job, we need to consider the number of hours at our disposal in a day. There should be enough time to rest and spend with our family.

Of course, some workers have no choice. That is why lower-income workers need the assistance of their MPs to lessen their financial burden. Even as the business landscape is volatile, we must treat our workers humanely.

Foo Sing Kheng

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 14, 2020, with the headline Forum: Better to diversify skills through SkillsFuture than holding two jobs. Subscribe