0
0
Singapore has come a long way since its birth as a nation in 1965.
When the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew founded Singapore together with his team, Singapore was just an undeveloped country.
Today, it has become a modern and booming metropolis which we all live in.
Back then, our skill level was low and we did not have much infrastructure. Today, we have a highly specialized workforce and modern infrastructure which is unimaginable for a young country.
Back then, we had a labour force which was highly manpower-intensive. Fast forward 50 years, we have a modern workforce which is knowledge-intensive.
What we are today is truly a result of our efforts in Industrialisation, Modernisation and Globalisation.
Our founding leaders were far-sighted enough to connect Singapore to the world and bring it into the future which has brought Singapore to where we are today.
As Singapore celebrates 50 years of nation-building, the labour movement celebrates the workers who fought back tears, sweat and blood to build this nation.
But to bring Singapore into the next 50 years, how can workers be part of this equation?
Outgoing Labour Chief Lim Swee Say pushed for Singapore to be “futurised” during the 2015 Budget Debate. He said this requires businesses and workers to embrace the future.
Hence, in order to be futurised, workers should prepare themselves through upgrading their skills.
In his final May Day message before he goes to head the Manpower Ministry, Lim said Singapore’s best bet is to “venture into the future ahead of others…”
He added during a recent media session that failing to move faster on both the skills upgrading and jobs transformation, Singapore could become a normal country with an ordinary economy and ordinary workforce.
Lim also brought up the SkillsFuture programme as a way to help more workers pick up skills to enhance their future employability.
So, will you journey into the future with better skills?
[plinker]
