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Focal points of the recommendations include driving Al adoption across the economy to lift productivity, strengthening career transition support via better career guidance, and more.
The mid-term update to Singapore's Economic Strategy Review (ESR) saw seven recommendations proposed to keep Singapore trusted, competitive and connected, while supporting workers and businesses through economic change.
Sharing the update on Wednesday (13 May 2026), the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce (SERT) acknowledged that Singapore is entering a new phase of its economic journey, where growth will be harder to achieve in a more complex global environment. At the same time, good jobs can no longer be assumed to come automatically with growth.
Here are the key highlights:
7 recommendations to drive growth and create good jobs
Establish Singapore as a global leader in key growth sectors
- Harness Al, automation and sustainable technologies to transform advanced manufacturing
- Tap on our reputation to grow a trust industry
- Capture higher-value jobs and new opportunities for Singaporeans
Pursue emerging opportunities to create new growth engines
- Invest in areas such as quantum and space tech
- Attract and nurture globally leading enterprises
- Sustain a vibrant start-up ecosystem and entrepreneurial culture, with more support for high-potential start-ups
Establish Singapore as a global Al leader
- Position Singapore as a place to develop, test, deploy and scale impactful Al solutions
- Drive Al adoption across the economy to lift productivity
- Support firms and SMEs to transform and benefit from Al
Help firms internationalise and connect globally
- Invest in transport hubs and networks for new supply chain opportunities
- Strengthen trade cooperation
- Help firms venture overseas and bring value back to Singapore through higher-value jobs and additional revenue
Broaden the range of good jobs across the economy
- Uplift and transform jobs in sectors that can better withstand global shifts
- Including jobs in skilled trades and care and social services
- Nurture a new generation of founders to build the next wave of enterprises and jobs
Empower every worker to take charge of their career
- Make lifelong learning a practical reality by blending training with work
- Build Al literacy across the workforce
- Strengthen career transition support via better career guidance, job matching and placement services
Enable businesses to proactively navigate transitions
- Help firms better understand and shift to more viable opportunities as the economy restructures
- Review tools and resources available to business leaders
Overview of the five key committees
Committee on Global Competitiveness
The Committee on Global Competitiveness examines how Singapore can remain competitive in a rapidly changing global environment, where free trade is under pressure, AI is reshaping industries, and traditional advantages may no longer be sufficient.
Its focus includes strengthening Singapore’s position as a trusted hub for global technology companies, while supporting the growth of homegrown companies with the potential to become future multinational corporations.
The committee also looks at how Singapore can future-proof its economy and create opportunities for Singaporeans to participate in the global economy.
Committee on Technology & Innovation
The Committee on Technology & Innovation examines how Singapore can respond to the impact of AI on work and industries.
Its focus includes building AI literacy across all ages and sectors, and partnering with companies of different sizes to apply AI and technology to real-world problems.
The committee also looks at how AI adoption can support productivity, create better work, and contribute to future job opportunities, with trust, governance and people as key considerations.
Committee on Entrepreneurship
The Committee on Entrepreneurship examines how Singapore can strengthen its start-up ecosystem in a fragmented global environment.
Its focus includes building on Singapore’s stability, strong regulations and rule of law to attract investors and entrepreneurs.
The committee also looks at how to support a start-up ecosystem that treats failure as learning, recycles capital into new ventures, and creates jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans.
Committee on Human Capital
The Committee on Human Capital examines how Singapore can prepare its people for an AI-powered future.
Its focus includes building an AI-ready workforce, reshaping education to place greater emphasis on creative problem-solving over information gathering, and ensuring that companies transform alongside their workers.
The committee also looks at how Singaporeans can be supported as jobs evolve with AI and economic change.
Committee on Managing Impact of Restructuring
The Committee on Managing the Impact of Restructuring examines how Singapore can manage the human impact of economic transformation.
Its focus includes developing career bridges that build on workers’ existing skills, and supporting companies through transformation while bringing their workers along.
The committee also looks at how to support a fair transition, where workers have opportunities to grow as the economy changes.
Together, these areas reflect the need for a more intentional economic strategy — one that supports growth while ensuring that Singaporeans have access to good jobs and opportunities.
NTUC's response to the ESR recommendations
Following the ESR Committee’s recommendations, The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said workers should remain at the center of Singapore’s growth strategy as the country enters its next phase of economic transformation.
In a media statement on 13 May 2026, NTUC said this means ensuring that growth translates into better jobs, stronger progression pathways and greater career security for workers.
NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Choo, who co-chairs the ESR Committee on Managing the Impact of Restructuring, said the labour movement supports the ESR’s emphasis on creating a broader range of good jobs and ensuring that growth continues to benefit Singaporeans.
He added that as AI reshapes work, workers will need the right skills to benefit from these changes and access better job prospects.
NTUC added that the implementation of the ESR recommendations will require strong collaboration between the Government, employers as well as workers.
This is especially relevant as Singapore responds to several long-term challenges, including geopolitical tensions, rapid technological change, the transition to a low-carbon economy and slowing workforce growth.
The ESR Committees outlined three broad imperatives for Singapore’s next phase of development:
- Sharpen Singapore’s value proposition
- Enhance agility and adaptability
- Strengthen resilience alongside efficiency
These imperatives are reflected in eight strategic thrusts, namely:
- Thrust 1: Build global leadership in areas of strength, and take bold bets for future growth
- Thrust 2: Make Singapore a global leader in AI solutions, and an AI-empowered economy
- Thrust 3: Strengthen Singapore’s role as a connected and trusted hub
- Thrust 4: Foster a more dynamic enterprise ecosystem so that more Singapore-based companies can start, scale, and succeed globally
- Thrust 5: Create more and a broader range of good jobs
- Thrust 6: Establish a stronger support system for career setbacks and transitions
- Thrust 7: Empower workers to learn for life and take charge of their careers
- Thrust 8: Build economic resilience as a core capability
"The Government will study the recommendations and work with unions, businesses and other partners to translate them into concrete action," NTUC stated.
The full ESR final report is anticipated to be released in due time.
Lead image / Gov.sg
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