LinkedIn: Talent development crucial when work is reshaped by AI

With skills needed for a job changing by 68% by 2030 due to the impact of AI, 91% of companies in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC) say they plan to enhance their people’s skills and abilities this year. 

Last year, technology took centrestage – LinkedIn saw a 21x surge in global English-language job postings mentioning GPT or ChatGPT; this year, LinkedIn said companies are directing their attention towards talent development. Today, the top five skills that hiring managers in APAC consider the most important in the era of AI are a combination of both hard and soft skills – problem-solving abilities (35%), communications skills (27%), critical thinking (25%), AI skills (19%) and IT & web skills (17%).

Feon Ang, VP, LinkedIn Talent Solutions and MD, APAC said: “In the past year, the narrative was dominated by technological advancements, particularly the integration of AI into business workflows. The resulting surge in demand for AI expertise reflected the challenges many businesses faced in navigating this transformative shift and incorporating cutting-edge technologies into their operations. 

"However, we are now witnessing a pronounced shift towards skills – both technical and soft skills – to thrive in the era of AI. Investing in people’s growth is no longer a perk but a strategic imperative, considering that our workforce is the driving force behind companies’ success in an era shaped by both AI innovation and collaboration with AI.” 

Eighty-eight percent of employers have observed substantial changes in the skills and qualifications they prioritise in job candidates due to the pervasive impact of AI and automation in their industries. Companies are placing emphasis on candidates who possess not only AI expertise, but also soft skills and a capacity for learning.

According to LinkedIn’s latest Workplace Learning Report, 94% of learning and development (L&D) professionals in APAC believe that human skills are increasingly becoming the most competitive in our economy. In particular, ‘communication’ has topped LinkedIn’s most in-demand skills list for 2024 across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines and Singapore. LinkedIn said this is not surprising when AI tools free up time for professionals to excel in jobs only people can do, like build relationships and collaborate with others.

In addition, 40% of APAC hiring managers consider an individual's potential for growth and ability to learn as the most important factor when evaluating internal and external candidates.

Most of the companies in APAC (91%) are also focusing on preparing their employees for the future world of work by enhancing their skills and capabilities, believing that this will lead to increased confidence and job security. In fact, APAC HR professionals are offering online training programmes (44%) and internal learning and development sessions focused on generative AI (43%) to do so.

As companies increasingly invest in learning opportunities, the focus on creating a culture of learning has soared, becoming a top priority for L&D professionals in 2024 across all APAC markets. In fact, 92% of them in APAC say they can show business value by helping employees gain skills to move into different internal roles.

A recent survey of APAC leaders has revealed that internal mobility is becoming an increasingly important factor in attracting and retaining top talent within organisations. The survey found that 48% of APAC leaders identified providing career progression opportunities as their key priority this year.

Nearly four in 10 (37%) hiring managers see career growth opportunities as key to retaining top talent, along with competitive salary and benefits (39%). In addition, 49% of APAC employers believe that highlighting opportunities for career advancement and increasing internal mobility are the top two ways to attract talent. These findings suggest that organisations in the APAC region would do well to focus on internal mobility as a key strategy for attracting and retaining top talent in the years to come.

To assist companies in their pivot towards a skills-centric approach, LinkedIn has introduced tools such as Recruiter 2024, LinkedIn’s AI-assisted recruiting experience. Recruiter enables hirers to quickly access high-quality candidate recommendations by using natural language search prompts and data from millions of professionals and companies, ensuring they are able to shortlist talent based on skills they need. These features will ramp to all APAC customers in English-speaking markets from end February.

To empower companies to build the skills they need for the next decade of work, the company has launched AI-powered coaching in LinkedIn Learning – a chatbot experience that offers real-time advice and tailored content recommendations personalised for learners based on their job title, career goal, and skills they follow. 

This is currently available to APAC customers in English-speaking markets. The company has also been expanding its in-demand skill library, including AI courses. AI courses in particular have seen a 5X uptick in learners.

In early March, we will be launching new career development and internal mobility features within LinkedIn Learning to help guide employees to critical skills, develop skills that matter to grow, and connect to the best-fit opportunity at their organisation. This will be available in English, Hindi, Japanese, Indonesian and Malay, amongst others.

Ang said: "Business leaders recognise that they cannot rely on old talent playbooks in this new era of work that’s being reshaped by AI, and where skills needed for the same job will change by 68% by 2030. Every minute, LinkedIn helps seven people get hired and 140 hours of learning content is consumed. 

Concept art representing a journey generated by Blue Willow.

"Building on this, we’ve supercharged our hiring and learning solutions to help companies recruit and retain the best talent. Take the National Healthcare Group in Singapore, for example, which is on a journey to foster self-directed learning amongst their employees by nurturing a robust culture of continuous learning. They're looking to incorporate LinkedIn's AI-powered coaching into their learning and development programmes, empowering employees to take charge of their professional growth.”

Explore

View insights from LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report for Australia/New Zealand, India and Southeast Asia.

*LinkedIn’s research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 4,323 hiring managers (middle management+) aged 18-77 in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the US, India, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, China, Netherlands, Sweden, MENA, and Brazil. The data was collected between 15 December 2023 and 4 January 2024.

PwC Singapore launches initiatives for digital learning, SMEs

- To help individuals and organisations increase digital acumen and upskill, PwC Singapore is releasing a learning app to the public for free

- PwC also aims to provide support to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) accelerate their digital adoption with dedicated digital advisory services, solutions and upskilling programmes

- Other initiatives include providing free virtual learning workshops for charities, social entrepreneurs and social service agencies

Source: PwC. Acquire more digital skills with PwC Singapore's free learning app.

In response to calls in Singapore's Fortitude Budget for more support for upskilling, digital adoption, and financial support for vulnerable communities, PwC Singapore has launched several new initiatives to support individuals and organisations through the COVID-19 pandemic. This move is part of PwC Singapore’s commitment to be part of the solution to support groups that have been impacted by COVID-19.

Yeoh Oon Jin, Executive Chairman, PwC Singapore, said: “We want to play our part in solving some of the important problems that people may be facing now. From preparing individuals for the digital future to supporting non-profit organisations that provide meals to vulnerable individuals and families, we hope that the actions that we are taking can help our community tide through the current situation and be ready for the new normal.”

The need for continuous upskilling and reskilling to become part of the “new normal” was highlighted in the Fortitude Budget. In response, PwC Singapore is making their learning app free for all from 8 June 2020. Digital Fitness for the World will allow users to assess their digital acumen, gain access to recommended learning materials to be more digitally-aware and also gain insight on business and economic issues relevant to our evolving environment.

Fang Eu-Lin, Leader of PwC’s Academy in Singapore, said, “The Digital Fitness App was first used by PwC to help upskill our people’s capabilities in a digital and evolving world. We have updated the app so that this can be made available for use by the whole community. We hope individuals will use the app to gain good knowledge and insights on digital topics, and find it a fun way to learn!”

In addition, PwC Singapore aims to help support SMEs to accelerate their digital adoption journeys with dedicated digital advisory services, solutions and upskilling tailored for the unique needs of this segment.

PwC Singapore has also launched complimentary virtual workshops specifically for charities, social entrepreneurs and social service agencies. The firm conducted a series of four virtual workshops - on digital strategy and transformation, data and analytics, digital marketing and social media, and digital trust and cybersecurity – aimed at helping them address the challenges and opportunities of digital disruption in the social and non-profit sectors. This is part of PwC Singapore’s ongoing skills-based volunteering efforts.

Details:



The Digital Fitness for the World app will be available from 8 June 2020 until 31 July 2020.

Download the Digital Fitness for the World app. Gain free access using the promotional code LRNALL.

Singaporeans to get more SkillsFuture support

Source: SkillsFuture Singapore. Minister Puthucheary watches on as Ng (left) and Kevin Wo, Country GM, Microsoft Singapore (right) sign the MoU.

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has introduced new measures to better prepare Singaporeans and enterprises for the digital economy. SSG and Microsoft have entered into a new partnership, and the national SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme has been enhanced.

Both developments were announced by Singapore Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Communications and Information, Dr Janil Puthucheary at the inaugural SkillsFuture Festival X Smart Nation (SFFXSmart Nation).

In a speech at the event Minister Puthucheary said the idea of a digitally ready society needs to be refreshed for 2019 and going forward, with a digitally confident society being the outcome.

"The difference for Smart Nation and our digital transformation is that the pace and extent of
change is much faster. Jobs will go, but jobs will be recreated. Business opportunities will go,
but new ones will be created. There are many things that we need to do in order to get ourselves ready for these challenges," he said.

"One of the key things is going to be the skills that we can develop in ourselves, in government,
in society and in business. Skills, for the challenges and opportunities that are being created
today, and an approach to skills development so that we are ready for the future, both for the next wave of disruption and digital transformation."


Co-organised by SSG, and the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office, the event is part of the six-week SkillsFuture Festival, and was held from 3 to 4 August.

SSG and Microsoft launched the Tech Intensity Training Roadmap, a three-year plan to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) accelerate their adoption of technology, and to help individuals build their digital capabilities. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by both parties for the collaboration, which aims to benefit 5,000 individuals and 100 SMEs.

As part of the collaboration Microsoft will work with the institutes of higher learning (IHLs) to develop industry-relevant curriculum for relevant SkillsFuture programmes, such as the SkillsFuture Work-Study programmes. This will help build a talent pipeline for jobs of the future, and cater to
the needs of the wider industry.

Microsoft will also work with SSG to enhance workplace learning practices among Microsoft’s network of SME partners. Microsoft and SSG will codevelop a training blueprint which will help SMEs build a strong workplace learning culture to accelerate technology and skills adoption for workplace transformation, and enhance employee engagement and retention.

Third, Microsoft will provide a curated list of free online Microsoft courses on SSG’s MySkillsFuture portal on topics such as data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). Participants will receive Microsoft certification when they successfully complete selected programmes. SSG will also incorporate the materials provided by Microsoft on cyberSecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI into the curriculum for the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme.

Lastly, Microsoft’s PowerApps Platform will be incorporated into SkillsFuture initiatives, including the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace. This enables Singaporeans to learn how to build and customise business applications according to their business needs.

Minister Puthucheary also stated in his speech that an ecosystem of players is required to ready Singaporeans for the opportunities of tomorrow.

"The engagement with a company like Microsoft is about that company, but it is also about that company's partners. A large company has vendors and suppliers that has business ideas, business partners, and it will do more going forward. Microsoft is committed to a very important partnership in association with SSG," he said.

It will be a win-win, he added. "We also hope that through this process, we will have the opportunity to work with Microsoft as an intermediary, looking at workplace learning practices within its organisation, as well as with its partner SMEs, tapping on its network of companies, and allowing government and SSG to reach out to many more companies in their digitalisation efforts."

In support of the sixth pillar of Total Defence – Digital Defence, SSG has enhanced the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme to add a Digital Defence component. Supported by the National Library Board, Nexus and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, the enhanced curriculum will enable participants to be better informed about cybersecurity, and to pick up skills to identify and guard themselves against fake news.

Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive of SSG said, “It is critical for our workforce and companies to be adequately equipped with the skills to seize the new opportunities brought about by digital transformation. The collaboration with key industry stakeholders, such as Microsoft, is significant in building digital competencies. SSG will continue to expand our network of intermediaries in Singapore’s skills ecosystem.”

Singaporean IT leaders say skills shortage could hinder Smart Nation

- Ninety-three percent of Singaporean CIOs are concerned IT talent in Singapore is insufficient for the successful implementation of Smart Nation initiatives.

- Six in 10 believe Smart Nation initiatives will increase job opportunities for IT professionals, 53% say it will increase average IT salaries.

New independent research* commissioned by specialised recruiter Robert Half has found that more than nine in 10 (93%) Singaporean IT leaders are concerned Singapore does not have the IT talent readily available for the building of a Smart Nation-ready workforce. Following the government's launch of Smart Nation initiatives in 2014, businesses have been increasingly involved in the strategic deployment of technology across the nation for improved living, economic growth and national progress - which inevitably requires highly skilled IT professionals to manage.

Compared to five years ago, almost nine in 10 (87%) CIOs find it more challenging to source qualified IT professionals. A similar proportion (83%) say that it is more challenging to attract qualified IT professionals to their organisation.

Employers are struggling to find skilled job candidates in specific functional areas, namely IT security (59%), cloud technology (36%), business intelligence (28%), IT management (27%) and business analysis (25%).

The research has also found IT leaders are optimistic as the clear majority (92%) of CIOs believe that the government’s Smart Nation initiatives will positively impact the local IT employment market. Additionally, more than half (60%) expect an increase in IT job opportunities and 53% predict an increase in average salaries.

Just under half are expecting increased competition to top IT talent, and 29% feel the initiatives will increase the number of locally-trained IT talent. Only 8% of CIOs believe the Smart Nation initiatives will not impact the local IT employment market.

Matthieu Imbert-Bouchard, MD of Robert Half Singapore said: “There is no doubt the government’s Smart Nation initiative will propel Singapore into a prosperous future. However, for Smart Nation to become a reality and result in nationwide success, a stronger supply of highly-skilled local IT talent will be required. Many companies are currently experiencing challenges sourcing and attracting qualified IT professionals – these crucial skills gaps will need to be filled quickly in order for Smart Nation to be a success.”

“As the demand for top IT skills continues to increase in Singapore, a more comprehensive approach will be required to close the current and future technology skills gap. Educational institutions should be encouraged to work with the business community and government to build a more robust business and technology ecosystem that develops and nurtures more talented IT professionals within the local talent pool.”

Imbert-Bouchard also suggested that employers create awareness around the benefits and opportunities available with a career in IT and technology in Singapore, both on a company as well as industry-wide level.

*The annual study is developed by Robert Half and was conducted in June 2018 by an independent research firm, surveying 75 CIOs/CTOs in Singapore. This survey is part of an international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management and trends in the workplace.

New career development platform to address ICM manpower shortage in Singapore

SiTF, together with the support of SPRING Singapore, Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), has launched talentguru, a skills-focused career development platform, powered by analytics to help address the skills gap and manpower shortage challenges in Singapore’s infocomm media (ICM) industry.

“Infocomm media is one of the fastest growing industries and an important enabler in Singapore’s ambitions to be a leading Digital Economy and Smart Nation. There are many exciting job opportunities in this sector, ranging from deep technical roles such as Data Scientists and Cybersecurity Forensic Analysts, to business-strategy roles such as Chief Digital Officers and Enterprise Architects, and more. Recognising that people are at the heart of our digital transformation efforts, we are pleased to support the talentguru portal and its efforts to bridge the skills and jobs gap, so as to build up a more vibrant ICM ecosystem,” said Tan Kiat How, Chief Executive, IMDA at the launch last month.

Talentguru is focused on building capacity in the industry by enhancing the pipeline of ICM talent and deepening the pool of local skills. This initiative is backed by a suite of programmes and a strong community of support from the industry as well as SiTF’s network of partners including government agencies, institutes of higher learning (IHLs), trade associations and training providers.

Talentguru intends to grow the local pool of ICM skills and talent, by helping four groups of people:

· Students – prepares them to launch their careers with confidence by using insights from data to understand skills requirements for jobs and their desired careers pathways;

· Career switchers – empowers and motivates them to re-skill and reach new career peaks in the ICM industry;

· ICM professionals – enables them to stay competitive and relevant by acquiring new skills, widening professional networks and keeping up to date with industry trends;

· Employers – facilitates more effective hiring processes with a focus on objective assessments based primarily on skills.

“Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups will now have a dedicated platform that links employers with fresh graduates and job seekers – a resource that many did not have in the past. Talentguru will also drive industry-wide cooperation by bridging technologists, entrepreneurs, multinationals and Singapore companies with IHLs and government agencies to uncover new science, business and technology talents,” said Benjamin Mah, Co-Chairman SiTF Talent & Capabilities Committee.

Powered by JobKred’s proprietary data analytics technology, talentguru allows users to create their own profile of skills and compare themselves against what the industry needs at any given point in time. This allows users to glean useful insights on skills requirements and explore possible career pathways, which is particularly useful for anyone interested in entering the ICM industry for the first time, such as students and career switchers.

Lim Kang Song, Co-Chairman SiTF Talent & Capabilities Committee, said that the rapid pace of change in the ICM industry can result in job seekers feeling lost and insecure. "Many ICM students also choose not to pursue a career in the industry after graduation because they feel unprepared," he said. "Through some early testing with IHLs, students said that talentguru helped to alleviate some of these concerns by providing a clear picture of the skills they needed to get the jobs they wanted. This is an outcome we hope to replicate with career switchers as well.”

As part of the ecosystem of initiatives supporting the talentguru platform, SiTF is making extra effort to help SMEs and startups attract and retain talent. SiTF is working with SPRING to run a structured internship programme to train internship mentors and facilitate the matching of ICM students with quality internships. In recognition of its efforts, SPRING has appointed SiTF as a Partner for SME Talent Programme (STP), to help strengthen the ICM talent pipeline for SMEs and provide meaningful internship opportunities for local students.

“People are strategic assets to businesses and it is important for SMEs to invest in resources to attract and develop talent. With support from SPRING’s Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme, SiTF aims to improve the way job and skills matching is done for the ICT sector, benefitting both job seekers and employers. SiTF is also working on other industry projects such as technology adoption and building up their research capabilities in ICT to strengthen their competency,” said Chew Mok Lee, Assistant Chief Executive, Capabilities & Partnership, SPRING Singapore.

Source: talentguru website. The talentguru initiative will help job seekers tailor their skillsets to market demand.

SiTF is also partnering Proxor, a Carnegie Mellon University spinoff, to administer a rigorous and certifiable skills assessment for Java programming. Proxor’s solution will help test a candidate’s ability to solve real world problems and provide an assessment benchmarked against a global cohort. SiTF hopes that such assessments would gain more industry recognition and help ease the transition for career switchers who have re-skilled to join the ICM industry.

Finally, talentguru will be complemented by a suite of offline events to help build a vibrant and mutually supportive community. Apart from networking sessions, industry talks, and outreach to schools, SiTF and e2i have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to mark a shared commitment to empower local career switchers and displaced professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) transition smoothly into the ICM industry by collaborating on a series of career fairs and seminars over the next two years.

“The ICT sector offers many opportunities and growth potential, and faces a rising demand for tech professionals. To support the demand to attract and groom Singaporeans in this sector, e2i has collaborated with industry partners to recruit manpower through career fairs and professional conversion programmes, as well as bridge skill gap through masterclasses. Talentguru is a platform where Singaporeans interested in joining the sector can identify their training needs, get matched to a suitable job and be part of a vibrant ICT ecosystem,” said Gilbert Tan, CEO, e2i.

Over the next three years, talentguru seeks to engage 500 companies and 10,000 users, facilitating the placement of 3,000 ICM professionals and 1,000 students. It also hopes to train 300 internship mentors in SMEs.

Interested?

View the video introducing talentguru

Etihad Airways is the official airline sponsor for WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017

Source: WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 website. Youth at work.

Etihad Airways has is the official airline sponsor of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 - the biggest vocational education and skills excellence event in the world. The event will bring more than 3,000 competitors and industry experts from up to 75 countries to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 14 to 17 October 2017.

WorldSkills covers a wide range of industries including construction, creative arts and fashion, information and communication technology, manufacturing and engineering, social and personal services and transport. The 44th edition of the competition will represent the first time that the event has been held in the Middle East and will be the largest and most complex event to be sited at the ADNEC in the lead up to Expo 2020 Dubai.

WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017, which will be hosted by the Abu Dhabi Center for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), aims to increase the prestige of vocational careers by challenging young people to become the best in the skill of their choice. The competition is a major coup for Abu Dhabi as the emirate continues to transition into a diversified knowledge-based economy in line with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.

HE Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi, Director General of ACTVET and official delegate of the UAE to WorldSkills, said: “WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 represents our strong commitment to vocational and technological education and training for the young people of the UAE today, helping them build a thriving and diverse economy for the generations of tomorrow. We look forward to working with Etihad Airways to ensure the competition is a resounding success.”

The WorldSkills participants represent the best of their peers and are selected from skill competitions in member countries and regions across the globe. Almost 2,300 participants and experts took part in the 2015 edition of the competition which was held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, whilst thousands more visited the six-day event.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ CEO said: “It is a great honour to be named as an official partner of such a prestigious competition. Abu Dhabi is a thoroughly modern city which is fast becoming one of the world’s most exciting commercial and tourism hubs. The event will provide the perfect opportunity for those attending to experience the very best of Arabian hospitality whilst enjoying state of the art facilities and modern infrastructure in a thriving and cosmopolitan city.”

Hala Abu Dhabi, the destination management division of Etihad Airways, has been named as the competition’s customer service management provider. Hala will develop and deliver packages for all those attending the event as well as offer on-ground customer services including staffing, transport and excursions.

Mohammed Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways’ Vice President – UAE Commercial, said: “The competition will provide a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase everything that Abu Dhabi has to offer to leisure and business travellers alike. Abu Dhabi, as a city dedicated to continued investment in the workforce of tomorrow, is the perfect location for the renowned competition: Hala Abu Dhabi looks forward to welcoming participants from across the world to our home city and working with ACTVET and WorldSkills to ensure that the event is a resounding success.”

Women in the Philippines expanding roles in commerce and industry

The Philippines' Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has revealed that more females are taking on skills training in male-dominated fields.

The Philippines Information Agency quoted Amelito Cardenas, TESDA Pangasinan supervising specialist, as saying that more women are now enrolled in technical-vocational (tech-voc) and private institutions in non-traditional industries, including welding and the automotive industry.

Cardenas also disclosed that TESDA has a free training programme designed for women who own sari-sari stores and carinderia.

“TESDA, in partnership with Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines and a micro-finance
institution in Pangasinan, is giving them free entrepreneurial skills
training to improve their business,” he said.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said skills training courses in “male-identified” job fields has become popular to female workers.

Engr. Amelito Cardenas, TESDA Pangasinan supervising specialist, said more women are now enrolled in technical-vocational (tech-voc) and private institutions taking up non-traditional trades such as welding and automotive.

The TESDA Provincial Training Center in Lingayen town also employed tech-voc graduate Ledelyn Dela Cruz, 30, a native of barangay Basing in Binmaley town, who handles welding training, Cardenas said during the “Pantongtongan Tayo” radio program of PIA-Pangasinan aired live over DZMQ Radyo ng Bayan recently.

Dela Cruz finished Bachelor of Elementary Education at University of Pangasinan but decided to make a career change.

She said that her decision to abandon her job as a school teacher in Calasiao and become a trained welder was one of the best moves she made.

“There is a lot to love about this job and it’s much more than just doing grunt construction work,” Dela Cruz said.

Meanwhile, Cardenas disclosed that TESDA has a free training program designed for women who own sari-sari stores and carinderia.

“TESDA, in partnership with Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines and a micro-finance institution in Pangasinan, is giving them free entrepreneurial skills training to improve their business,” said Cardenas.

These efforts are made to enrich and empower women's lives, he added.