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SINGAPORE – To be prepared for the future, Singaporeans should not think that the currently valued skill sets will be enough to surpass them in the years to come. This and two other cherished beliefs were labeled as myths that the managing director of the Economic Development Board, Chng Kai Fong, tried to debunk when he addressed educators on Wednesday (September 30).
The first myth is that digital and technical skills will suffice. The second is that Singaporeans should only focus on opportunities within the country, and the third is that people should prioritize long-term career plans, he said in his keynote address at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Teachers Conference ).
Mr. Chng said that most people think that learning to use data and code will be enough.
“I’m not saying that’s not important, but I’m saying it’s not enough … because a lot of (these processes) will eventually be automated if possible.”
He said that soft skills, the ability to tell a story, have empathy and create connections with others, will help people to stand out and differentiate themselves.
Mr. Chng also said that it will be important to disabuse people, including the future generation, of the notion that “Singapore is enough.”
“What worries me is that we are so focused on what is happening here … ‘I just want to get a simple job’, ‘I just want to create things for Singapore.’ More and more, if you think that way, you start receiving pressures from elsewhere because there is global competition. There is competition with robots and technology. “
There are opportunities around the world and in Asia, which is growing, he noted, and Singaporeans will have to make sure they remain relevant.
Touching on the final myth, Mr. Chng said that many people here pride themselves on long-term planning.
“Growing up as a Singaporean, we all think there is a divine plan for us and our children … You finish high school, you move on, you get a job, and that’s your life plan,” he said.
But life is not as simple as this. The ability to react and plan in the short term will be very important, he stressed.
He encouraged students to pursue their “secondary obsessions and pursuits,” which will help them develop confidence and find meaning.
ITE Executive Director Low Khah Gek also spoke at Wednesday’s conference, where she referred to disruptions in the economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We need to understand the new reality of where our Singapore economy is heading, more changes in industries and businesses and, more importantly, changes in jobs and job skills,” he said.
Dr Gog Soon Joo, Director of Skills and Research as well as Chief Futurist at SkillsFuture Singapore, also spoke on topics such as future jobs and skills that will be in demand.
There will be fewer jobs that require a single skill, he said, setting the example of a data scientist, who is expected to be able to tell stories and convey a message with analysis.
“We expect the content of the work to change more and more.”
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