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Workers today live in times of rapid disruption and transformation. Digitalisation has changed the way businesses operate as work processes become automated, while the use of smart technology has transformed jobs and enabled workers to become more productive. As this trend continues, the Labour Movement has and will continue to centre its efforts on ensuring workers remain Ready for new jobs, Relevant with new skills and Resilient to new ways of working.
Labour Movement Continues to Take Care of Core Interests of Workers
Over the last three months, the Labour Movement has pressed on in its efforts to help low-wage workers, older workers and freelancers, as well as push for more targeted training efforts. [Refer to Annex A – 100-Day Journey Infographic]
a. More help for low-wage workers – The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for Lift Technicians and review of the PWM for the Landscape Industry will be announced soon. Next, the Labour Movement will study deeper the feasibility of a PWM for the F&B sector.
b. Called on employers to extend retirement age voluntarily – As a member of the Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers, we will be conducting a series of focus groups in September and October 2018 to gather more feedback.
c. Formation of National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA) – More freelancers can be brought into the Labour Movement’s fold once NICA is formally registered.
d. Setting up of a Healthcare Academy by Healthcare Services Employees’ Union and NTUC LearningHub to equip healthcare workers with broad skills to cope with changes – The Labour Movement is looking at the possibility of setting up similar academies in other industries and provide the tools to help workers be future-ready.
Making Industry Transformation Real with Worker 4.0
As the Labour Movement persists in efforts to turn the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) into real outcomes for workers, the Labour Movement envisions that workers must be trained in tandem, as Worker 4.0, to keep up with transformation.
In the future workplace, Worker 4.0 will be one who is adept at navigating change, asking the right questions and finding new solutions to complex problems. Worker 4.0 is also proficient in working with machines, using technology and tapping digital resources to be more productive at work. Worker 4.0 requires a combination of skill sets – Adaptive Skills (ability to navigate and influence change and solve complex problems), Technology Skills (knowledge and mastery of digital systems and programmes) and Technical Skills (job-specific knowledge and skills). These may vary from individual to individual, but they will be central to enabling a worker to be Ready for new jobs, Relevant with new skills and Resilient to new ways of working. [Refer to Annex B – Worker 4.0 Infographic]
Next Steps in Training Efforts
NTUC will be introducing a formalised structure for the NTUC Training Council that comprises tripartite partners from the highest to working levels, with NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) as the Secretariat and NTUC LearningHub as the Anchor Learning Partner. NTUC Training Council will be the nexus and will harness our network of tripartite and training partners to pull and pool resources to identify training needs and bring Worker 4.0 to fruition.
The Training Council will comprise a Training Executive Committee, led by NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Koh Poh Koon, that will synergise efforts with tripartite partners, as well as centralise and coordinate efforts across six Training Committees (based on the six ITM clusters). These six Training Committees will be chaired by union leaders, who will coordinate ground feedback from workers and companies, as well as mobilise and execute plans. [Refer to Annex C – Training Council Structure]
Concurrently, NTUC will spearhead a concerted study to further define Worker 4.0 with ground inputs for each of the six ITM clusters. The survey’s findings are expected to be ready in a year.
In sharing his vision for Worker 4.0, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said, “The Labour Movement will continue to build on our foundation and take care of the core interests of our workers. But as our country evolves, we must step up our training efforts to serve the new workers of Singapore better. Workers, too, must realise that they need to have the breadth and depth of skills to keep up with transformation. With our union leaders on the ground and close ties with our tripartite partners, we hope to be able to support the transformation of our workers into Worker 4.0, as well as turn our ITMs into real outcomes for both our companies and our workers – ultimately helping them achieve better wages, welfare and work prospects.”
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