Gerald Giam (Aljunied), 27 Feb 2025
Many mid-career professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) are under pressure. Some are in industries that are shrinking or being disrupted, where jobs are disappearing faster than new ones are created. Others see their roles changing because of automation or artificial intelligence.
Some even face the anxiety of being told to reapply for their own jobs as part of restructuring exercises, effectively forcing them to compete with their colleagues or external candidates for roles they have already been performing. Such practices not only create stress and uncertainty but can also serve as a way for companies to bypass retrenchment obligations while reshuffling their workforce.
While overall employment levels have continued to rise in tandem with a growing population, some displaced workers face difficulties transitioning into a new job at the same skill level and salary. Many struggle to break into growth sectors despite efforts to reskill, as employers often favour candidates with industry-specific experience or are younger. While most employers prioritise merit, some hiring processes may still be influenced by informal networks, creating additional challenges for mid-career jobseekers trying to break into new industries.
The Labour Force 2024 report showed that some 41,200 PMET residents are unemployed and, of these, 10,700 have been unemployed for more than six months. The data also shows that long-term unemployment affects PMETs more than non-PMETs. These PMETs are workers who have spent decades in their industries, built up expertise and contributed to the economy. Many have significant financial responsibilities, including housing loans, children’s education and elderly parents to care for.
When these PMETs get retrenched or step away from the workforce for a period due to caregiving responsibilities, re-entering the job market becomes a daunting challenge. Even those who are currently employed may be preoccupied with day-to-day operational work and get blindsided by technological changes that make their skills obsolete. A worker who had spent years in corporate operations, for instance, may find it difficult to transition into a technology-driven role without a structured pathway to bridge the gap.
Even if they secure interviews, they are often offered roles at significantly reduced salaries, making it difficult to maintain their financial obligations. Some are forced into contract or gig work with little stability or opportunities for development. The longer they remain unemployed or underemployed, the harder it becomes to re-enter the workforce, as employers perceive them as “outdated” or “overqualified” rather than seeing the value of their accumulated skills and experience. Some may drop out of the workforce completely after years of discouragement.
The government has introduced several schemes to help workers upgrade their skills and transition to new jobs. The SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme provides Singaporeans aged 40 and above with $4,000 in SkillsFuture Credit, along with a training allowance of 50% of their average income over the latest available 12-month period, capped at $3,000 a month, for selected long-form full-time courses, and $300 per month for selected part-time courses. The SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme, which bears similarities with the unemployment insurance schemes proposed by the Workers’ Party since 2006, will also offer financial support of up to $6,000 over six months for involuntarily unemployed workers taking part in job search and related activities.
On top of that, career matching services run by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and its partners help jobseekers refine their resumes and prepare for interviews, and in the future, as announced in this Budget, there will be an expanded network of job placement centres at all CDCs. These are important steps, but more needs to be done to ensure mid-career workers secure meaningful employment.
Training and reskilling alone does not ensure job placement. For mid-career workers facing immediate job displacement, waiting year s for the benefits of these programmes to materialise is not a viable option. Many are unable to afford the temporary drop in income that often comes with switching sectors, making it difficult for them to commit to full-time training programmes.
While some industries are shrinking, others—including healthcare, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing—are expanding. Mid-career PMETs should have clearer pathways to transition into these high-demand sectors through structured job placement and industry partnerships.
The Career Conversion Programme (CCP) is designed to help mid-career individuals transition into new jobs or sectors with better long-term prospects through training and salary support. This is a well-intentioned programme. However, there still remain deeper structural barriers that make it difficult for these workers to secure new jobs at comparable skill levels and salaries. The CCP requires employers to hire the workers before they can receive training, presenting the same barriers for jobseekers who are already struggling to get past the initial job screening process.
We need a more structured and targeted job placement programme where mid-career jobseekers can have their applications and CVs reviewed and refined by specialists in their field. These specialists can then actively match and recommend them to employers, including those enrolled in the CCP, increasing their chances of securing a placement. Once hired, these workers can then benefit from the CCP to receive the necessary training and salary support for a smoother transition into their new roles.
Additionally, WSG can introduce structured returnship programmes to help professionals re-enter the workforce after a career break, whether due to retrenchment or caregiving responsibilities. Unlike the CCP, which requires career conversion, these returnship programmes would provide a pathway to employment and mentorship, allowing mid-career professionals to rebuild industry-relevant experience without starting over at entry-level positions.
Conclusion
Mdm Deputy Speaker, mid-career and older PMETs need more structured redeployment pathways and stronger financial support for career transitions. They have spent years contributing to Singapore’s economy. Many have built businesses, trained younger colleagues and helped shape their industries.
Our nation and our economy cannot afford to overlook the experience and skills of these workers. Let’s give every Singaporean who wants to work, retrain and contribute the best possible chance to do so.
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