Workforce Singapore is a statutory board under the Ministry of Manpower of the Singapore government. It was formed in 2016 to support both individuals and businesses in manpower and workforce development needs. As a statutory board, Workforce Singapore is led by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who oversees the organization’s operations and strategies. The current CEO of Workforce Singapore is Mr. Tan Choon Shian.
Brief History of Workforce Singapore
Workforce Singapore was formed in 2016 under the Workforce Singapore Agency Act. It was created through the merger of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i).
WDA was previously in charge of enhancing the competitiveness of Singapore’s workforce by encouraging workers to learn for life and advance their careers. On the other hand, e2i focused on assisting both job seekers and companies through job matching services, employability skills training, and other initiatives.
To better serve Singapore’s workforce needs, the two agencies were restructured and merged to form Workforce Singapore. The aim was to have an integrated system to reinforce the coordination and delivery of adult education and training, as well as employment facilitation programs.
Responsibilities of Workforce Singapore
As Singapore’s national agency for workforce development, Workforce Singapore has the following key responsibilities:
– Develop manpower strategies and programs to enhance the employability and competitiveness of Singaporeans in the global workforce. This includes reviewing labor market trends and identifying relevant skills training.
– Work with industry partners and employers to promote skills upgrading and lifelong learning among professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
– Assist job seekers through career guidance programs, job matching services, training grants and more.
– Support employers in workforce transformation and skills development. Provide assistance such as leadership development, job redesign initiatives and more.
– Spearhead national SkillsFuture initiatives including the individual learning portfolio and credit system.
– Manage the Adapt & Grow initiative which helps equip Singaporeans with skills to access available jobs and stay employable.
– Oversee the transformation of the retail industry through the Skills Framework for Retail.
– Encourage adoption of progressive human capital strategies and technology to enhance business and workforce capabilities.
Through these efforts, Workforce Singapore aims to build a future-ready workforce and progressive workplaces in Singapore.
Organizational Structure of Workforce Singapore
Workforce Singapore comes under the portfolio of the Ministry of Manpower. Organizationally, it consists of the following departments:
– Skills Development Group
– Career Services Group
– Corporate Development Group
– Information Technology Department
– Corporate Communications Department
The Skills Development Group drives initiatives relating to skills certification and training, learning innovation and practitioner development. Key initiatives under this group include SkillsFuture, Adapt & Grow, and Skills Frameworks.
The Career Services Group provides career matching, labor market analysis, and employability programs. It delivers services like job search support, career coaching, PMET job placements and more.
The Corporate Development Group handles organizational excellence through strategy, governance, capability development and more. It enables the operational efficiency of Workforce Singapore.
Meanwhile, the IT Department manages the organization’s technology infrastructure and digitalization. The Communications Department drives stakeholder engagement, media relations and marketing efforts.
Tan Choon Shian, CEO of Workforce Singapore
Mr. Tan Choon Shian is the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Workforce Singapore. He was appointed in 2018 and is responsible for spearheading the national SkillsFuture movement.
Career History and Education
Mr. Tan began his career in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), where he rose to the rank of Brigadier General. He served in SAF for over 25 years, taking on several key appointments.
In 1997, Mr. Tan obtained a Master of Business Administration from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). He also attended advanced management programs at Wharton Business School and Harvard Business School.
After leaving the SAF, Mr. Tan joined private logistics company SATS Ltd. He served as President and CEO of SATS from 2006 to 2011.
Subsequently, Mr. Tan took on other senior leadership roles. From 2011 to 2018, he was the Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Manpower. He concurrently served as the Executive Director of the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) from 2016 to 2018.
When e2i merged with WDA to form Workforce Singapore in 2016, Mr. Tan was appointed the founding CEO. He has been leading Workforce Singapore since 2018.
Key Achievements
Under Mr. Tan’s leadership, Workforce Singapore has achieved the following:
– Launched the SkillsFuture initiative to drive national SkillsFuture movement. Over 1.5 million Singaporeans have used SkillsFuture Credit to develop skills since launch.
– Expanded career guidance and job matching efforts, with over 430,000 job seekers assisted in finding jobs as of 2021.
– Helped over 95,000 jobseekers pick up skills under the Adapt & Grow initiative amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Supported over 2,400 companies with job redesign.
– Developed Skills Frameworks together with industry partners to support skills and career development.
– Scaled training capacity with over 18,000 courses available on the SkillsFuture portal. More than 435,000 Singaporeans participated in SkillsFuture courses in 2020.
– Promoted adoption of HR technology through initiatives like SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace. Over 35,000 Singaporeans underwent digital skills training under this.
– Launched SkillsFuture Work-Study programs to boost on-the-job training. Over 25,000 trainees went through work-study programs.
Prioritization of Skills Development
Under Mr. Tan’s leadership, Workforce Singapore has placed significant emphasis on equipping Singaporeans with the right skills to stay employable. Initiatives like SkillsFuture and Adapt & Grow have helped many workers, especially mature workers, gain skills for the future economy. Workforce Singapore has also worked closely with employers to redesign jobs and make training more accessible.
According to Mr Tan: “Skills mastery is key to helping our workforce stay ready for the future. Workforce Singapore will continue to work with both individuals and employers to build skills for the long term.”
Conclusion
Mr. Tan Choon Shian is the Chief Executive Officer of Workforce Singapore, appointed in 2018. He has over 25 years of experience spanning the public sector, military and private sector.
Under his leadership, Workforce Singapore has made significant strides in skills development and career facilitation. This supports Singapore’s workforce transformation efforts towards a more skills-based and productive economy. Moving forward, Workforce Singapore looks set to continue enhancing employability and competitiveness of Singaporeans to thrive amid economic shifts.
