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Why employer buy-in is crucial for lifelong learning and upskilling

Photographic portrait of Samir bedi
Samir Bedi

Singapore Government & Public Sector Leader, Ernst & Young Advisory Pte. Ltd.; EY Asean People Consulting Leader

5 minute read 09 Dec 2024

Greater employer support in continuous education and the learning ecosystem is crucial for industry relevance and long-term growth.

In brief:

  • Learning and upskilling must keep up with rapid technological changes so that individuals remain relevant in a dynamic job market.
  • Employer integration into the learning ecosystem is critical so that knowledge and skills acquired from training continue to meet industry needs.
  • Businesses need to invest in training that prepares employees for future roles to better drive long-term growth and competitiveness.

The rapid speed at which technology evolves means that new tools and systems are constantly developed. This has led to a dynamic job market where skills must also advance as swiftly to keep up with these changes and allow individuals to remain relevant.

From May 2025, Singaporean employees aged 40 and above who take time off from work to study full time will get an allowance of up to S$3,000 a month for up to 24 months. As part of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance under the SkillsFuture Level-Up Program, this move continues to underscore the importance of upskilling, with a focus on the mature and experienced workforce.

Upskilling contributes to professional growth, job security and industry relevance. On a macroeconomic level, upskilling contributes to a more globally competitive talent pool for the country and demonstrates readiness for a highly digital future economy.

While the SkillsFuture Level-Up Program centers on the individual’s initiative to better tackle and adapt to complex or future job challenges with confidence, organizations must not overlook a critical aspect of workforce development: the role of employers in encouraging and facilitating learning.

How EY can Help

Businesses as the schools of tomorrow

Can employers play a bigger role in driving lifelong learning? They can and they must.

 

According to the EY 2023 Work Reimagined Survey, 45% of Singapore employees want their employers to provide more training for technology.

 

Many employers and businesses are at the cutting edge of skills and learning. They actively engage with the latest technology advancements and innovations in their fields and continuously seek out new tools and systems to maintain a competitive edge.

 

Hence, employer integration into the learning ecosystem is important, especially for courses that span a longer duration, given how fast new technologies are emerging today. Employer integration helps keep the knowledge and skills acquired from full-time study relevant to the industry. 

For this to be effective, learning should be directly connected to the individual’s work or closely aligned to potential job opportunities available within the organization. Practical applications or on-the-job training needs to be an intrinsic part of learning.

Realistically, how can we achieve this?

More learning and development opportunities — including courses for full-time study — need to be cocreated through partnerships between businesses and approved learning providers. Businesses in the same industry or complementary ones can band together to form a consortium, pool their resources and work with approved learning providers.

Trade associations and chambers (TACs) across industries can also lend their support. This collaborative approach enhances the learning ecosystem by making courses organization-agnostic and industry-relevant, which would help uplift entire industries.

While fundamental learning can be gained through learning providers, the accelerated and advanced learning that most mid-career individuals seek is best delivered through an integrated and synced-up approach between businesses and learning providers. 

How EY can Help

Support for action and shift in mindset

A concern for organizations is the temporary workforce shortage when employees go for training. This is especially so for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that may not have the resources to hire employees to tide over the manpower crunch. Fear of turnover may also deter employers from investing in learning and development.

 

However, the employee’s training period is not lost time — it is invested time. Keeping employees busy with the jobs of today without preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow could negatively impact medium- and long-term growth and competitiveness.

 

It is important that organizations plan ahead, schedule learning strategically and prioritize critical tasks. They also need to utilize technology to streamline processes and maintain productivity with a reduced workforce while employees are away for training. 

Support schemes aimed at defraying manpower costs, such as Absentee Payroll Funding, could be expanded to serve as a financial cushion for SMEs whose employees have opted for full-time study. This can encourage employers to embrace a shift in mindset — that despite the pinch of temporary workforce shortage, both individuals and employers will be better off with more future-proofed skills in the long run.

With more individuals opting to take time off work for full-time study, employers may be driven to support lifelong learning as part of their talent retention efforts and offer better learning and upskilling opportunities.

To prepare for a reduced workforce while employees are away for training, organizations need to plan ahead, schedule learning strategically, prioritize critical tasks and use technology to streamline processes and maintain productivity.

A shared commitment

Singapore will raise its retirement age from 63 to 64 on 1 July 2026 as part of the move to progressively increase the nation’s retirement age to 65 by 2030. A higher number of older workers are expected to look at learning and upskilling.

Skills in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are critical for Singapore’s future workforce. With climate change being a key business focus today, skills around sustainability are also important. Marrying these hard skills with soft skills — such as critical thinking and collaboration — across diverse functions is essential.

To foster a nationwide culture of lifelong learning, stakeholders need to work in tandem. While the government is the program administrator, individuals must take charge of their learning for professional growth. At the same time, employers have to help maintain industry standards and see to it that courses meet the evolving needs of the workforce. TACs and unions also play a critical role in facilitating access to learning.

To be globally competitive, it is imperative that Singapore shifts from a knowledge-based economy to a skills-based one where age and educational qualifications no longer define individuals in the workforce — an economy where learning is the new dollar.

A version of this article was first published in The Business Times on 10 September 2024.

Summary

Skills must keep up with rapid technological advancements in today’s dynamic job market. Employers can facilitate the development of relevant courses that meet evolving workforce needs through collaborations with approved learning providers. Planning for a temporary workforce shortage when employees go for training is crucial to help maintain productivity. Companies that support training of employees to prepare them for future roles can better position themselves for medium- and long-term growth and competitiveness.

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    About this article

    Photographic portrait of Samir bedi
    Samir Bedi
    Singapore Government & Public Sector Leader, Ernst & Young Advisory Pte. Ltd.; EY Asean People Consulting Leader
    Lifelong learner. Passionate about talent and human resources consulting. Believer of human-centered growth. Sports enthusiast.
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