As one of Southeast Asia’s most advanced economies, Singapore has made significant strides in enabling human capital as a key driver of growth. The city-state’s success is grounded in its foundational investments in education, strong public–private linkages, and advanced research ecosystems that are continually aligned with industry needs. Singapore’s digital economy is valued at USD 128.1 billion which is equivalent to 18.6 % of GDP.  Digital economy opportunities are supported by initiatives such as SkillsFuture,  and the National AI Strategy 2.0, which aim at creating adaptive pathways for lifelong learning and social mobility. Yet, despite these achievements, Singapore is not immune to the uncertainties introduced by technological and AI disruptions. Automation continues to reshape tasks even in high-value industries, raising concerns about job polarisation, skills redundancy, and mid-career displacement. There remains an urgent need to continuously transform workforce competencies while ensuring that innovation deepens inclusivity and resilience—particularly for older workers, SMEs, and lower-income households facing the brunt of rapid digital change.

Amidst this context, the Tech for Good Institute (TFGI) convened an in-person New Models of Work (NOMW) roundtable in Singapore on 22 October 2025. The in-person roundtable brought together senior government officials, policy researchers, academics, development partners, and private sector representatives to explore how AI and digital platforms are reshaping the Singaporean workforce. This event formed part of TFGI’s broader New Models of Work Series, comprising four virtual dialogues and three in-person country sessions to situate regional work trends within local contexts and identify actionable insights for governments, businesses, and academia.

The discussion centered on how Singapore can harness technological shifts while addressing emerging risks through enhanced governance, strategic partnerships, and sustained workforce investments. Participants examined how the country’s robust institutional frameworks—spanning education, social protection, and digital trust—could evolve to support an era of AI-enabled work. The session also reflected on how existing mechanisms such as tripartism and SkillsFuture’s training credits could be scaled to foster not only upskilling but also structural resilience in a fluid labour market.

Participants

• Citra Nasruddin, Programme Director, Tech for Good Institute
• Peichin T, Senior Policy Advisor, Tony Blair Institute
• Michael Lee, Senior Researcher, Digital Trust Centre, NTU
• Mui Seah Lee, Director, Workforce Singapore
• Walter Theseira, Associate Professor, Singapore University School of Social Sciences
• Edmund Zhou, Director, MDDI
• Gao Bo, Managing Director, AI Club Asia
• Khairi Hussain, Manager, SMCCI
• Fairoz Ahmad, Fellow, Tech for Good Institute
• Bas Claudio, Programme Associate, Tech for Good Institute

Key Takeaways:

1. AI requires institutional and not just individual change

Participants emphasised that AI readiness must evolve beyond individual literacy programmes into a systemic and institutional priority. While Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0 outlines pathways for industry adoption, real readiness also requires organisational transformation—embedding ethical AI governance, data stewardship, and algorithmic transparency into public institutions and enterprises. Organisations such as the Singapore AI Safety Institute, housed under the Digital Trust Centre, are at the forefront of leveraging research to strengthen trust foundations of the nation’s digital economy,  Trust frameworks must be operationalised that integrate cybersecurity, privacy, and responsible innovation principles into business processes, thereby positioning trust as a competitive advantage.

The educational system must also be redesigned to prepare not just workers, but citizens, for a world where human intelligence and artificial intelligence interact fluidly. This means integrating computational thinking, data literacy, and AI ethics across all levels of learning while nurturing interdisciplinary problem-solving, creativity, and moral reasoning. Beyond skills acquisition, the broader purpose of education must also be reconsidered in light of technological change. In this view, education must go beyond preparing individuals for employability. It must cultivate capacities for critical judgment, empathy, adaptability, and civic responsibility, qualities that remain distinctly human and socially indispensable.

2. Effective governance and an enabling environment maximises workforce opportunities through digital platforms

The discussion highlighted that upskilling efforts need to be complemented by coherent career pathways, lifelong learning systems, and targeted incentives. As industries evolve and job roles become more dynamic, career longevity increasingly depends on a worker’s ability to pivot across roles and sectors while retaining employability. This requires not only accessible training but also structured guidance, recognition mechanisms, and support at key transition points.

Participants noted that lifelong learning must be deeply embedded in workplace culture—encouraging continuous improvement rather than episodic retraining. This involves strengthening the ecosystem for career coaching and guidance, ensuring that individuals receive professional advice on identifying transferable skills, planning career transitions, and selecting relevant training. In practice, career coaching frameworks—supported by data-driven labour market insights—can bridge the information gap between workers’ aspirations and emerging industry needs. Workforce Singapore (WSG) provides strong examples of such support through programmes like the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs), which reskill mid-career individuals into growth sectors and the Mid-Career Pathways Programme, which offers work attachments and allowances to help mature workers gain industry-relevant experience.

A related discussion examined the rise of HEAL jobs—Health, Education, Administration, and Literacy—as a counterpoint to automation-intensive industries. These roles are expanding globally as economies invest in care, teaching, and social services that combine cognitive, emotional, and ethical capabilities difficult to mechanise. The growth of HEAL sectors suggests that workforce transformation must balance high-tech with high-touch investments. As societies age and prioritise well-being, these fields offer sustainable employment and social value while reinforcing inclusion.

3. Effective collaboration and sustained investments are prerequisites for workforce resiliency

Collaboration across sectors is critical to ensuring that digital transformation benefits are inclusive and sustainable. Governments must provide strategic direction and regulatory clarity, but collective action among employers, educators, and the private sector is equally vital to close the gap between policy ambition and workforce realities. A two way approach, where government leads and the private sector, including trade associations provide regular feedback on what works and what do not, strengthens policy making and its implementationThis means shifting from isolated initiatives to adaptive collaboration models—where public agencies coordinate with industry to identify real-time skills needs, universities co-design curricula with employers, and communities participate in shaping programmes that address their local contexts.

Collaboration is also essential to support the nation’s SMEs in their digital transformation journey. SMEs often face resource constraints in training, technology adoption, and workforce planning, making them more vulnerable to disruption. Cross-sector partnerships such as pooled training resources, shared AI adoption toolkits, and cluster-based mentorship schemes are ways to enable smaller firms to upskill workers cost-effectively.