By Despite the pessimistic job market caused by the ongoing pandemic, more than half of Singapore employers (56%) said that they are looking to hire, according to a report released by NTUC Learning Hub on Tuesday (26 Jan).
Based on the latest ‘New Normal of Sector Skills Report‘, the hiring need is especially apparent in industries such as Essential Domestic Services (65%), Modern Services (62%), and Built Environment (61%).
Within the Essential Domestic Services cluster, the top technical roles which employers are looking to fill are Early Childhood Care & Education Teacher (24%), Early Childhood Care & Education Workplace Safety and Health (18 percent), and Training and Adult Education Learning Management (18%).
As for the Modern Services cluster, roles like Financial Services Blockchain (18%), Infocomm Technology Cyber Security (14%), and Infocomm Technology Operations and Support (14%) are the most sought after.
In the Built Environment cluster, Built Environment Project Management (42%), Security Consultancy (26%), and Build Environment Engineering Consultancy and Design (26%) are the top-in demand roles coveted by employers.
“Although some sectors remain hard hit as a result of the effects of the pandemic, it has been proven that there are career opportunities available as companies adapt to new ways of doing business,” said Tay Ee Learn, Director of NTUC Learning Hub’s Technical Skills Product Division.
He added, “These findings provide invaluable insights for employees to navigate a ‘Never Normal’ in their preparation for multiple careers in a lifetime to secure the best chance of thriving in the turbulent pandemic era and beyond.”
The report saw 367 business leaders (senior managers or directors and above) and 567 full-time employees surveyed to find out the shift in jobs and training dynamics across the six major industries clusters in Singapore, as well as to identify sectors to look out for in the New Normal.
“To help job seekers navigate the current economy, many employers are open to hiring inexperienced talent with micro-credentials, and this has been prominent in those industries which are experiencing a shortage of skilled talent. We hope that such insights help individuals in their continuous learning journey beyond formal education in seeking job opportunities in new fields or industries,” noted Mr Tay.
If that’s not all, the report also disclosed that less than half (48%) of employers pointed out that their companies have employees with the right skill sets to achieve their current goals.
However, two thirds (66%) of employers said that the shortage of right talent available to fill the roles they are looking to hire has negatively affected their businesses, especially those in Manufacturing (81%), Built Environment (71%), and Modern Services (65%).