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Sustainability-focused skills such as carbon footprint management, and generative AI skills are among the top skills to develop this year.
In January 2025, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) revealed its latest Skills Demand for the Future Economy Report. This report serves as a roadmap for individuals and organisations, outlining the skills that will be essential in the care, digital, and green economies. It also features new insights into the creative industries and introduces interactive tools to help Singaporeans plan their upskilling journeys.
The key economies shaping the future
This report highlights three main areas driving Singapore's economic growth and the corresponding skills in demand.
1) Care economy
- About 18% (19) of the 107 skills in the care economy fell into the “in-demand” quadrant in the past three years.
- Key focus on societal and physical wellbeing with skills such as effective client communication and learning & development.
- High demand for empathy-driven skills to enhance service delivery.
- Growing use of EdTech platforms and generative AI (GenAI) tools to support lifelong learning.
2) Digital economy
- Within the digital economy, 40 skills (16%) out of the 244 skills listed stood in the in-demand quadrant from 2022 to 2024, a trend that is expected to continue into 2025.
- Emphasis on customer experience management and market trend analysis to personalise services and remain competitive.
- Data-driven decision-making drives the need for skills in data governance and cyber incident management.
- Increasing reliance on AI-related skills including GenAI development and prompt engineering.
3) Green economy
- About 12 out of 47 skills (26%) in this economy constituted as “in-demand” for the past three years.
- Central skills include sustainability management and green facilities management.
- Driven by global decarbonisation, sustainability reporting mandates, and eco-friendly innovations.
- Focus on energy efficiency and climate action strategies.
Top skills to develop
The report identifies 71 high-demand transferable skills. Some of the top skills across sectors include:
1) Generative AI technology, and prompt engineering: Essential for AI-driven industries.
2) Sustainability-focused skills: Includes carbon footprint management and sustainability assurance.
3) Market trend analysis: Critical for delivering value in evolving markets.
4) Cyber and data breach incident management: High demand due to rising cybersecurity challenges.
5) Effective client communication: Vital across multiple industries to maintain trust and clarity.
The above aside, the report also identified a list of 37 skills that were previously in moderate demand but moved to high transferability in 2024. These include:
1) Energy trading portfolio optimisation
2) Sustainability assurance
3) Change management
4) Conflict management
5) Continuous improvement management
6) Data and information management
7) Human resource advisory
8) Analytical method validation
9) Artificial intelligence application
10) Automated distribution management
11) Automation research and implementation
12) Business insights
Finally, a total of 34 skills are expected to be highly transferrable in 2025. These skills include:
1) Energy management and audit
2) Environmental management system framework development and implementation
3) Green facilities management
4) Child safety and protection
5) Employee relationship management
6) Excellence in service
7) Health promotion
8) Organisational design
9) Application support and enhancement
10) Business data analysis
11) Cloud computing implementation
12) Computational modelling
13) Cyber and data breach incident management
Skills clusters for the future
SSG’s report organises these skills into clusters that represent broader capabilities. For example:
1) Business and financial management:
- Focus on strategic planning, financial analysis, and risk management.
- Essential for budgeting and aligning with business growth.
2) Operational excellence:
- Process improvement, quality control, and project execution.
- Skills include service quality management, and programme implementation.
3) Organisational and people management:
- Skills such as team management and customer acquisition management.
- Key for leadership, fostering collaboration, and managing change.
A spotlight on creative industries
One highlight (just keeping the terms neutral) of this year’s report is its deep dive into the creative industries. This emphasises their crucial role in adapting to technological advancements and emerging business trends in Singapore. With around 150,000 creative professionals, the sector is increasingly integrating digital tools, leading to a rising demand for creative skills. This shift underscores the importance of staying adaptable and innovative.
The need for creative skills doesn’t just stay in the industry – according to a sampling done by SSG, seven out of 10 “non-creative job roles” require creative skills today. For example, software developers need to have a level of familiarisation with design, in order to make applications that are user-friendly. Meanwhile, restaurant managers require skills in branding and customer attraction, beyond the kitchen needs.
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