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askST: Which jobs and skills will be in demand in a greener economy?
A recent green skills report noted that existing roles across industries increasingly require sustainability knowledge, as Singapore works towards net zero by 2050
Demand for sustainability reporting and assurance professionals could double to 4,000 by 2030 from 2,000 in 2023, according to The Green Skills Committee Report 2025.
PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
Kintan Andanari, Brand Newsroom
Singapore’s push to cut emissions is reshaping the jobs and skills needed across the economy, according to a report published by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) on Jan 30.
The Green Skills Committee Report 2025 noted that more existing jobs require green skills – knowledge and abilities needed to carry out tasks contributing to environmental sustainability.
This comes as the Republic works towards its 2050 net‑zero emissions target, where greenhouse gases produced equal those removed from the atmosphere. These planet-warming gases drive climate change, fuelling extreme weather that affects lives and livelihoods.
To prepare students for this shift, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is introducing the Applied Sustainability Talent Programme (ASTP) from the 2026/27 academic year.
SIT Associate Professor Jeffrey Kwik, 53, its programme lead, and Mr Andrew Buay, 60, vice-president for Group Corporate Sustainability at Singtel, talk about sustainability jobs and the skills needed to land them.
Q: I am interested in sustainability. What roles are available and in demand?
Sustainability roles span industries. Companies across sectors need professionals to produce sustainability reports, Prof Kwik says.
SIT Associate Professor Jeffrey Kwik, 53, says that the Applied Sustainability Talent Programme, where students take applied sustainability as a second major, was designed to address industry demand for graduates who can apply sustainability skills in their primary disciplines.
PHOTO: SUTD
Listed companies in Singapore have to file climate-related reports from 2025, with large non‑listed ones following in 2030.
Demand for sustainability reporting and assurance professionals – those preparing and vetting sustainability reports – is expected to double to 4,000 by 2030 from 2,000 in 2023, according to The Green Skills Committee Report 2025.
“We designed the ASTP, where students take applied sustainability as a second major, to address industry demand for graduates who can apply sustainability skills in their primary disciplines,” Prof Kwik says.
What is SIT’s Applied Sustainability Talent Programme?
Starting from the 2026/27 academic year, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) will admit its first cohort of students into the Applied Sustainability Talent Programme (ASTP).
Students will pursue a second major in Applied Sustainability (SMAS) alongside their primary major. The programme includes internships, industry projects, overseas immersion and mentorship, says programme lead Associate Professor Jeffrey Kwik.
SMAS modules, available only to ASTP students, will cover sustainable development, communications and leadership practices. They will also read fundamental environmental sustainability measurement and management modules.
Completing ASTP requires an additional trimester, about four months, beyond SIT’s standard three‑ or four‑year undergraduate courses, he says. Students begin reading ASTP‑specific modules in their second year, after completing foundational courses in their first year.
Applications are open until March 19. Visit singaporetech.sg/astp
After companies disclose emissions and set targets, says Mr Buay, they need professionals to drive emission reduction.
“We may see fewer sustainability titles as the skillset becomes core to many roles. One won’t need such titles to drive sustainable practices or outcomes,” says Mr Buay, who sits on SIT’s Industry Advisory Committee for Sustainability Education.
“The ASTP shifts sustainability from a niche role to a core competency. Its modular structure allows students to carry sustainability skills into any sector, empowering them to lead environmental change from within their business function,” he adds.
Q: What skills do employers look for in sustainability roles?
Technical, cognitive, and soft skills, Mr Buay says.
Technical skills, like calculating carbon emissions and preparing climate-related reports, are increasingly seen as baseline requirements.
SSG’s Skills Demand for the Future Economy Report 2025 points to greenhouse gas accounting and carbon footprint management as skills poised to capture greater demand in the future. The first measures emissions; the second uses those data to reduce environmental impact.
Beyond technical knowledge, Mr Buay looks for problem‑solving abilities in graduates, their capacity to view issues as interconnected, and communication skills. These are critical as sustainability cannot exist in isolation.
Feedback from Mr Buay and other sustainability leaders helped shape ASTP’s curriculum, says Prof Kwik. Modules cover sustainability metrics, communications and leadership practices, equipping students to convey sustainability information and drive change.
A common industry concern, observes Prof Kwik, is navigating the shifting landscape – regulations that tighten or ease across regions, disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence and their resource requirements, and environmental changes.
“Companies will need graduates who can collect, analyse and report sustainability information effectively, and respond to emerging challenges and drive change.”
“That, in a nutshell, is what we aim to develop in an ASTP graduate,” Prof Kwik says.
