Support for staff mobility, skills-based hiring key in tackling challenges, SkillsFuture Forum told

SINGAPORE - To address hiring challenges, employers should help employees transition to new roles that match their aspirations, said Ms Dilys Boey, chief executive of Workforce Singapore, at the SkillsFuture Forum on July 9. 

“When dealing with an employee who has been in the same position for the last 20 or 30 years, it’s difficult to move them to a new job,” she said. “It’s essential to provide support for internal mobility to help them achieve their goals.”

Ms Boey said that currently, there are four issues plaguing the hiring space: structural mismatch of skills and expectations, an ageing workforce, longer work span and Singapore’s small size. 

She was one of four panellists speaking at the SkillsFuture Forum, which was launched by Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, and also attended by Minister of State for Education Gan Siow Huang.

The other panellists were Ms Gloria Arlini, chief operating officer (country lead) of non-profit Generation Singapore, Mr Lim Minhan, head of consulting at cyber-security firm Ensign InfoSecurity, and Mr Jedrick Tan, chief executive of Fei Siong FastFood. The discussion was moderated by Ms Lee Su Shyan, associate editor at The Business Times.

The one-day forum, held at the Lifelong Learning Institute in Paya Lebar, is the first of many events of the SkillsFuture Festival that will run till July 21. 

Focused on recognising skills and building careers, the forum was organised by SkillsFuture Singapore and supported by The Business Times and SPH Media.

The panel covered topics like skills-based hiring, career health, preparing workers for the future and aligning their skills with industry needs. 

Ms Boey said that to address hiring challenges, companies and organisations need to make career guidance and career advice more accessible to employees.

She added that employers should also consider more than just technical capabilities, and broaden their hiring approach to include candidates from diverse backgrounds with transferable skills.

It pays when employers hire based on skills, said Ms Arlini. “You cannot go wrong investing in skills,” she said, adding that companies also need to have systems in place that can support their employees when they want to relearn and unlearn skills. 

“We don’t want our staff to just survive with their new portfolio, but we want them to thrive,” she added. 

In industries like food and beverage, Mr Tan said that for many job roles, candidate qualifications are not the main priority in hiring. 

“What is key here is the individual’s ability to perform,” he said, adding that skills-based hiring has many benefits, like having access to a variety of talent. 

An individual’s growth in the company is also important, Mr Tan said. 

“We want to find talent that matches the DNA of our organisation, someone that embraces continuous learning... and it is the effort to get themselves skills-certified, and the effort to continuously learn,” he said.

“As an employer, part of our proposition is then to offer superior programmes to employees, to make sure that they are aligned with the company’s learning journey and our growth strategy.”

At the forum, Mr Chan announced a structured career pathway for the cyber-security sector, which will give new entrants and mid-careerists aspiring to join the field more guidance on the training they require and the certification they have to acquire.  

Under this new pathway, 13 employers, including Ensign InfoSecurity, will offer internship and job interview opportunities to individuals who have attained selected industry certifications.

Mr Lim, the head of consulting at Ensign InfoSecurity, said this skills-based pathway will help uplift the skills, experiences and expertise of the whole workforce. 

“We are not only investing in individuals, but investing in the future workforce,” he said.