Shaping a Competitive Workforce for Singapore
For our workforce to remain competitive and employable in today’s fast changing workplace, they must have both knowledge as well as skills that are relevant, current and sought after by employers to meet the changing needs of Singapore’s economy.
In response to these needs, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) was formed to lead and drive workforce development in Singapore. Its mission is to enhance the employability and competitiveness of all in the workforce, young and old from rank-and-file to professionals, managers and executives.
To achieve its mission, WDA developed a Continuing Education and Training (CET) infrastructure, based on an established network of Industry Skills and Development Councils, to help it chart the future of manpower development in each economic sector. It also developed a national skills frameworks under the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system for all key sectors, including building up of CET Centres and a network of training providers to deliver training programmes according to national WSQ standards. With WSQ, employers also enjoy a competitive edge through government funded skills-based training for their employees. This will help companies build capabilities and remain competitive, contributing to stronger economic growth for Singapore. WDA works with partners including employers, industry partners, the Unions, other Governmental agencies and training organizations to build the CET infrastructure to help our people upgrade and acquire new skills.
Under the CET Masterplan, WDA will continue to drive CET strategies to support the national economic priorities by strengthening the WSQ system, ramping up the national training capacity, developing the CET profession and reaching out to more adult workers to develop and strengthen their skills-based training. This will enable them to upgrade and advance in their careers and lives, over and above traditional academic upgrading pathways.
In so doing, we hope to support a competitive workforce with workers learning for life and advancing with skills.
