NTUC’s Future Jobs, Skills & Training Forum 2019 – Transformation in Action

Model ID: fbddeb2d-823f-4e3e-8bcc-92dc8eb1504c Sitecore Context Id: fbddeb2d-823f-4e3e-8bcc-92dc8eb1504c;

Workers today live in times of rapid disruption and transformation. Technological advancements and digitalisation have brought about challenges and opportunities to companies and workers across all industries. As this trend continues, the Labour Movement is committed to help working people stay ahead of the curve and upskill themselves to remain ready for new jobs, relevant with new skills and resilient to new ways of working. 

 

At NTUC’s second edition of the Future Jobs, Skills and Training (FJST) Forum themed “Transformation in Action”, union leaders, government agencies, tripartite and management partners came together at two panel discussions to share real-world successes in industry transformation for the manufacturing, marine engineering, healthcare and financial services sectors. Panellists also discussed future job and training trends, best practices, as well as frameworks that will help workers overcome the challenges of industry transformation and facilitate transition into the future of work. The forum was attended by about 500 participants. 

 

Speaking as guest-of-honour, NTUC Secretary-General (SG) Ng Chee Meng highlighted the Labour Movement’s commitment to help workers gear up for transformation and the future so that they can have better welfare, wages and work prospects. He spoke of the need for workers, the Labour Movement and tripartism to keep up with the challenges of disruption and seize the opportunities it offers.

a. Transforming workers pro-actively to match Industry 4.0 

The findings of NTUC’s Worker 4.0 Study, which collects information from the manufacturing, built environment, trade and connectivity, essential domestic services, modern services and lifestyle – will be shared later this year. The study will shed light on how Singapore’s workers can be matched to future jobs and trained even as their workplaces continue to undergo disruption. 

b. Transforming the Labour Movement by addressing the changing needs of workers 

In tandem with the evolving workforce, the Labour Movement must keep pace to better serve the needs and aspirations of our workers in tandem with the fourth industrial revolution. The Labour Movement will continue to bolster efforts in helping workers to secure better wages, better welfare and better work prospects through the following areas:

 

(i) Making Industry Transformation Maps real for workers through the coordination from the NTUC Training Council.

(ii) Advocate for enhanced protection of workers and freelancers’ labour rights.

(iii) Explore the implementation of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) in more sectors and extend the PWM to lower-wage PMEs.

(iv) Review the retirement age, strengthen re-employment guidelines and retirement adequacy for mature workers.

(v) Alleviate the impact of cost of living through NTUC Social Enterprises.

The NTUC National Delegates’ Conference will also be held later this year, where the Labour Movement will take stock of past achievements and chart our goals and direction for the next four years. 

c. Transforming tripartism beyond traditional models to sectoral ecosystems 

2019 also marks 50 years since the landmark NTUC “Trade Union Seminar on Modernisation of the Labour Movement” in 1969, where a collaborative approach was struck with the government for the benefit of workers and the nation’s growth. 

 

Today, tripartite partners are taking this collaboration further with a whole-of-industry approach to reach a win-win-win outcome for government, employers and workers. The Labour Movement will continue to adopt a systems-thinking and leadership approach by building sectoral ecosystems and bringing stakeholders together, sector by sector. This will allow partners to jointly develop solutions for the health of the whole system, rather than pursue symptomatic fixes.

 

Mr Patrick Tay, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and FJST Director, said: “In a rapidly changing work landscape, we must stay agile and adaptable to take charge of change. The FJST Forum is a platform where various stakeholders can share best practices and solutions for transformation that bring about tangible, real benefits to companies and workers. We look forward to greater partnership with government agencies and other key stakeholders to take more proactive and pre-emptive steps to bring industry transformation efforts to the ground and help workers in this time of change.”

 

Panel 2: Maximising Industry Transformation Outcomes through Pre-Emptive Action