Skills and Workforce Development Agency to focus on 3 key areas for good jobs, skilled workforce

Singapore's newest statutory board, the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), officially began operations on Wednesday (July 1), bringing together skills and workforce development, as well as employment functions under one roof.

The new agency, formed through a merger of SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore, falls under the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and is jointly overseen by the Ministry of Education.

In a news release on Wednesday, SWDA said it aims to enable Singaporeans to learn for life and gain access to good jobs, while enabling employers to design good jobs and develop a skilled workforce.

Setting out its priorities for the first time, the agency said it will focus on three key areas: enabling Singaporeans to own their learning and career journeys and access opportunities at every stage of work; equipping employers to design good jobs and invest in workforce development to build a future-ready workforce; and establishing a more integrated and responsive training, career and employment services ecosystem.

On the first priority, SWDA said it aims to enhance access to job and training opportunities through improved triaging and needs-based services. This can, in turn, enable Singaporeans to make informed training and career decisions, including planning for their career journeys and growth.

It will also support employers in building capacity to design jobs and adopting skills-first practices to attract and retain talent. The agency said this can signal in-demand skills, enhance workplace learning and improve adoption of upskilling and reskilling programmes.

For the third area of establishing an ecosystem, SWDA said it will work with providers of training, career and employment services to serve the diverse needs of both workers and employers, thereby offering stronger support for career transitions, lifelong career, and skills development.

Dilys Boey, SWDA's chief executive, said it will support Singaporeans to navigate career transitions and build the necessary skills to access good job opportunities.

"As businesses adopt new technologies, we will support employers to adopt a human-centred approach to job design and enhance access to industry-relevant skills development programmes," Boey said.

Earlier on June 24, the Ministry of Manpower announced the establishment of the inaugural board for SWDA, with 67-year-old veteran banker Lim Sim Seng helming it.

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