Assessment of AI Impact on Worker Competitiveness and Employability, and Targeted Support Interventions for Affected Workers
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on worker competitiveness and displacement, with MP He Ting Ru inquiring about salary premiums for AI skills and support for clerical or entry-level roles. Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng stated that while certain PMET sectors show restructuring-related retrenchments, specific data on AI salary premiums is currently unavailable as adoption remains in early stages. To support workers, the Ministry offers Career Conversion Programmes and the Graduate Industry Traineeship scheme, alongside SkillsFuture Singapore’s efforts to streamline AI learning pathways. Additionally, the Government will provide six months of complimentary access to premium AI tools for those completing eligible training to facilitate real-world practice. The Ministry will continue monitoring labor market trends to calibrate interventions that help Singaporean workers build relevant skills and maintain their competitiveness.
Transcript
41 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the Ministry's latest assessment of the salary premium for workers with AI skills in Singapore, including how it varies by sector and seniority; and (b) what further steps will be taken to ensure Singaporean workers acquire these skills and remain competitive in the labour market.
42 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the Ministry's latest assessment of the top occupations at risk of displacement in Singapore; and (b) what targeted interventions are being considered to address concerns about employability, especially for workers in clerical, back-office and entry-level knowledge roles.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM's) data shows that professional, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) in the information and communications, financial services and professional services sectors have seen relatively higher retrenchment incidence in recent years, compared to employees in other sectors and occupation groups. Higher incidence of retrenchment indicates ongoing restructuring rather than a contraction in PMET demand.
MOM does not have data on salary premiums for artificial intelligence (AI) skills, as AI adoption by companies in Singapore is still in their early stages. Employee salaries depend on many factors beyond AI proficiency, including sector, experience and market conditions.
To support Singaporeans in acquiring skills, including for AI, to remain competitive, the Government has taken several steps.
First, supporting access to good jobs and opportunities. Workforce Singapore's Career Conversion Programmes supports individuals, including those in clerical and back-office roles, to pivot into new job roles with good longer-term prospects. For fresh graduates who have not found full-time jobs, the Graduate Industry Traineeship scheme provides structured, industry-relevant work experience to help them gain a foothold in the labour market.
To support workers specifically in building AI capabilities, we are strengthening access to AI-related training. SkillsFuture Singapore is making AI learning pathways easier to navigate, so that working adults can identify courses suited to their proficiency levels and sought by employers.
We are also encouraging broader adoption of AI tools. Later this year, Singaporeans who take up eligible AI training courses will receive six months complimentary access to premium versions of AI tools, to build familiarity and allow them to practice applying these tools in real-world contexts.
We will continue to monitor labour market trends closely and calibrate our support as jobs evolve, to help Singaporean workers build relevant skills, including AI capabilities, to remain competitive in an evolving labour market.