Speech at Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA) Women's Forum 2025
Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State, ParkRoyal Collection Marina Bay
- Good morning everyone! I am delighted to be here with all of you at the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association's (SSIA) Women's Forum 2025.
- Just four days ago, we marked International Women’s Day, a significant global event that celebrates the achievements and contributions of women and raise awareness on gender equality. I had a very full programme on that day, celebrating women, women’s achievements, and also very, importantly, recognising partners that women work with.
- The semiconductor industry is at the heart of technological innovation, powering everything from vehicles to computers and AI systems. Women in Singapore have made remarkable strides in this industry, increasingly taking on leadership roles in research, development, and executive leadership. I am heartened that SSIA has gathered us here today—not just to celebrate today’s success stories but for us to collectively look forward and to spur action, as the theme goes “ Accelerating Action, Empowering Women.” How do we translate our thoughts and words into action to enable more women to succeed
- Women in Singapore have made significant progress in the workforce over the last decade. The labour force participation rate for female residents has increased and the education profile of women in the workforce has also improved.
- However, in some ways, women continue to lag behind men.
- For example, we still see a higher proportion of men in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-related occupations, even as the share of women in STEM jobs has increased over time from 29% in 2014 to 35% in 2024.
- Women also tend to take up a greater share of caregiving responsibilities at home and as a result, women who are caregivers may lag behind in terms of work experience, career progression, and correspondingly wages.
- I would like to share a few ways in which we can encourage more women to aspire towards STEM jobs, including jobs in the semiconductor industry.
- First, through encouraging students to explore such career pathways.
- Second, through creating workplaces that empower caregivers to thrive at work.
- Third, through mentorship.
Encouraging students to explore STEM-related careers
- Building a strong pipeline of talent in STEM-related fields is crucial as Singapore positions itself as a global hub for advanced manufacturing and technology innovation. Through enhanced curriculum and career guidance in schools and institutes of higher learning, we want to encourage young women who are interested in STEM to choose these pathways.
- We are also working with Tripartite Partners and industry stakeholders to support women's aspirations in STEM fields, including in advanced manufacturing.
- Many semiconductor companies here today have been excellent partners in this journey, providing internships and learning opportunities that showcase the exciting potential of this industry.
- SSIA plays a pivotal role in developing the talent pipeline. By collaborating with companies and schools, SSIA inspires and encourages more women to pursue careers in the semiconductor industry.
- These upstream initiatives are crucial in building a diverse talent pool for our future workforce.
Empowering caregivers to thrive at work
- Women tend to take on more caregiving responsibilities. Promoting shared caregiving responsibilities and Flexible Work Arrangements, or FWAs, are important to empower caregivers to continue working while caring for their families.
- For new parents, we encourage fathers to take on a greater share of caregiving responsibilities, and are heartened that more fathers want to be involved. The Government has taken steps to facilitate this by enhancing our parental leave provisions. From 1 April 2025, the two weeks of Government-Paid Paternity Leave (or GPPL) that are currently offered on a voluntary basis will be made mandatory such that eligible working fathers will receive four weeks of GPPL. A new Shared Parental Leave scheme will also be introduced, to provide parents with an additional 6 weeks of paid parental leave on top of maternity and paternity leave. This will subsequently be increased to 10 weeks from 1 April 2026. Altogether, couples with newborns will have a total of 30 weeks of parental leave—16 weeks of maternity leave, 4 weeks of paternity leave, and 10 weeks of shared parental leave. While this may sound like a lot of time, to parents with young children, even 30 weeks sometimes feels like it is not enough!
- Parental leave is just one part of the solution. We must also look at caregiving support for working parents, including expanding the capacity of infant and childcare services. The government is also working closely with employers and unions to support the implementation of FWAs in workplaces. FWAs—such as flexi-time, flexi-load, and flexi-workplace arrangements—should not be seen as something just for women. Men, too, can benefit from flexible arrangements, allowing them to take on greater caregiving responsibilities at home.
- The Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, which took effect on 1 December last year, helps to facilitate open communication between employers and employees, so that mutually beneficial work arrangements can be agreed upon.
- We have also strengthened protections against workplace discrimination, which could inhibit women's entry into and progression in their careers, especially in male-dominated industries like the semiconductor sector.
- The Workplace Fairness Act, which was passed in January this year, reinforces norms that employees should not be discriminated based on sex, caregiving responsibilities or on the grounds of pregnancy.
- These initiatives are beneficial to the semiconductor industry, where maintaining Singapore's position as a global hub requires us to maximise the potential of all available talent. Many companies represented here today have already demonstrated how progressive workplace practices can enhance both innovation and productivity.
Importance of Mentorship
- I would also like to highlight the importance of mentorship. I am a strong believer in mentorship. When I was a student and when I started my career, I had good mentors. Today, I mentor several women as well. Mentorship is a powerful tool for shaping mindsets and fostering a growth-oriented attitude.
- Mentorship helps us explore different career possibilities, overcome barriers, and clarify our goals. I am happy to see many industry leaders here today, investing time to discuss how we can better equip women to succeed—whether at the industry level or the company level.
- SSIA has been at the forefront of industry development and has played an active role in providing mentorship and leadership development opportunities to support women's advancement in the semiconductor industry. Some of you may be mentors yourselves, helping younger women understand what it takes to succeed and how they can take charge of their careers.
- I encourage the women here today to take advantage of these mentorship opportunities. Use these platforms to seek guidance, build meaningful connections, and take charge of your career in this dynamic and exciting industry.
Conclusion
- To the industry leaders present today - your commitment to nurturing diverse talent will help to shape the future of Singapore's semiconductor industry. I encourage you to invest in developing talent through skills development programmes, sponsorship initiatives, and employee resource groups. Your actions today will set the foundation for a more inclusive industry tomorrow.
- To the mentors and corporate partners here – thank you for your generosity. I know it takes time and effort to build relationships with mentees, and I want to thank you for stepping forward and doing your part in helping to raise the next generation of leaders in the semiconductor industry.
- I look forward to the insights that will emerge from today's discussions. Let's ensure that the dialogue and commitments made here today translate into real change in our workplaces. I wish you all a productive and inspiring forum. Thank you!