Singapore - Academic qualifications are no longer enough to help workers stay relevant in today's rapidly growing economy as employers shift to a more skills-driven mindset to boost business productivity.

With a greater value now placed in skills-driven industries, HR can now use the CET or Continuing Education and Training Masterplan by Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to emphasise the need for skills upgrade to their employees. Bill Chang, chairman of Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund Advisory Council (LLEFAC) said it is time for employees to understand the need for skills training as "it is one of the ways we can enhance productivity".

However, changing the mindsets of workers who still feel skills upgrading is not as important as paper qualifications when it comes to career advancement remains a challenge. While CET centres can supply the resources and training standards for upgrading, there has to be supported by a strong demand, said chief executive of WDA, Ong Ye Kung. "Singapore workers must feel they need to upgrade, whereas now in this society, we are very strong about upgrading our academic education."

He further added that employers must inculcate in their workers the desire to improve and career advancements could come in the form of skills upgrade, instead of a degree.

Upgrading of skills can also help workers deal with the current financial downturn and Chang said the council is looking at a four-pronged approach. "Help locals find a job as soon as possible, help skill them rapidly so they can move up to better jobs, help workers move across industries and help workers who are migrating out of Singapore move into higher value-added industries."

For Ong, allowing people the ease of upgrading their skills and be certified by CET centres is simply giving them a "common currency" which is "recognised by the whole industry".

Some of the key industries that are currently seeing growth and would require highly specialised workers with such "common currency" include manufacturing, engineering, pharmaceutical, aeronautical, hospitality and healthcare.