Data to Support Move towards Skills-based Hiring in Civil Service
Ministry of FinanceSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the Public Service's transition to skills-based hiring, with Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan inquiring about the percentage of job advertisements waiving academic requirements and the measures used to accelerate this shift. Minister Chan Chun Sing responded that while a competency-based framework guides recruitment and agencies are encouraged to specify skills, the Public Service does not track the specific number of postings that exclude formal academic criteria. He noted that specialized roles in fields such as engineering and legal services still require professional qualifications, though agencies are expected to clearly indicate the relevance of these requirements. Regardless of advertised criteria, recruiters evaluate candidates holistically based on competencies and experience, often utilizing practical assessments like case studies to ensure alignment with job demands. This policy prioritizes a candidate's ability to perform effectively while ensuring that necessary professional standards are maintained across all public sector agencies.
Transcript
86 Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what are the percentages of Public Service jobs posted since January 2024 which (i) waive formal academic qualifications and (ii) employ skills-based assessment as the primary hiring criterion; and (b) what specific measures, targets and timeline has the Public Service established to accelerate the adoption of skills-based hiring across agencies.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): The Public Service supports skills-based hiring and has adopted a competency-based framework to guide key employment decisions, including recruitment. Agencies are guided to specify skills and competencies in their recruitment advertisements. If specific qualifications are required, their relevance should be indicated clearly.
We do not track the number of job postings that do or do not include formal academic requirements in their criteria. Certain jobs, such as those in specialised or technical fields like accountancy, engineering and legal services, require candidates to have the relevant professional qualifications to perform their jobs effectively. In such cases, agencies would explain the need for such requirements.
Regardless of whether formal academic requirements are specified in the job advertisements, recruiters will consider candidates for all roles holistically based on their skills, competencies, work experience and alignment with the job's requirements, and candidates may be put through assessments, such as case studies and practical tasks.