Written Answer by Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng to PQ on Update on Jobs Taskforce Set Up in 2021 to Grow Talents in 10 Key Sectors

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1384 OF 2022 FOR THE SITTING ON 3 OCT 2022

QUESTION NO. 2168 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Mr Leong Mun Wai

To ask the Minister for Manpower whether he can provide an update on the work of the Jobs Taskforce which was set up in 2021 to help grow local talents in ten key sectors.

Answer:

The Jobs Taskforce was formed in September 2021 against the backdrop of elevated resident unemployment and long-term unemployment rates, which stood at 3.5% and 1.2% respectively. The Taskforce thus focused on the immediate task of facilitating placements of locals into jobs in key sectors. With the reopening of borders and recovery of the economy, the resident unemployment and long-term unemployment rates have since improved to the pre-COVID levels of 2.8% and 0.7% respectively as at June 2022.

As of May 2022, the targeted efforts of the eight ministries and agencies in the Jobs Taskforce have helped nearly 9,000 local workers enter new jobs. The agencies' efforts involved working with employers in industries such as Information and Communications, Financial Services, Manufacturing, and Logistics to hire mid-career jobseekers through Workforce Singapore's Career Conversion Programmes and sectoral job matching programmes, reskill existing workers for new or expanded job scopes as these sectors undergo transformation, and adopt progressive human capital practices.