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The initiative calls on employers to build resilient, future-ready teams in an increasingly competitive talent landscape.
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has introduced Career Health SG, a national initiative that aims to support the SkillsFuture movement. The launch was announced by Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower at the inaugural Career Health Summit, co-organised by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF).
Held under the theme Driving Business Success: The Indispensable Role of Career Health, the summit emphasised the importance of workforce resilience in ensuring sustainable business performance.
People at the centre of economic growth
Career Health SG aims to help individuals build resilient and fulfilling careers while supporting businesses in developing their workforce for long-term success. According to MOM, the initiative focuses on enabling Singaporeans to achieve their career goals through training, on-the-job learning, and intentional career moves.
Employers play a key role in this effort. MOM said that by strengthening human management capabilities and adopting skills-first hiring practices, businesses can improve talent attraction and retention, access a wider talent pool, and enhance competitiveness.
To support employers, MOM has launched the Career Health SG website, a one-stop platform combining tools and resources from SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and WSG. These are designed to help employers improve the career health of their workforce.
Career Health SG supported by national-level efforts
MOM emphasised that building workforce career health requires collaboration among multiple stakeholders.
HR leaders are vital to the initiative’s success. At the Committee of Supply Debate 2025, MOM announced the formation of the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development (TWG-HC). The Workgroup is developing tools and frameworks to help businesses and HR leaders measure economic mobility and career health, drawing on international models such as the American and British Opportunity Indices.
MOM is also expanding partnerships to support talent access and improve worker mobility. This includes collaborations with online employment marketplaces.
As part of these efforts, MOM and SSG have partnered with job portals such as Jobstreet and FastJobs, allowing individuals to share verified records on their Careers and Skills Passport with employers. Over 23,000 individuals have used these platforms to share their credentials, with plans to expand to additional job portals.
Additionally, MOM and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) will launch the Alliance for Action on Advancing Career and Employment Services (AfA-ACES). The alliance will bring together private career and employment service providers to develop solutions supporting job redesign, talent access, and workforce employability and mobility.
Mr Ng Chee Khern, Co-chair of AfA-ACES and Permanent Secretary of MOM, said the alliance aims to provide a wider range of career and employment services by partnering with the private sector to develop new approaches that help businesses find talent and improve workforce career health.
Mr Marcus Lam, Co-chair of AfA-ACES, Executive Chairman of PwC Singapore, and SNEF Honorary Treasurer, said businesses are using career and employment services to strengthen internal HR capabilities. This includes hiring contract workers to manage changing business demands. He noted the alliance will work with partners across the ecosystem to develop and test solutions supporting businesses as they adapt workforce strategies.
From awareness to action: Three steps for employers
Speaking at the launch, Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower said, “Organisations prosper and decline based on the quality of their people.”
According to a recent MOM survey, 65% of employers recognise the value of investing in the career health of their employees. However, fewer know how to act on it. Only 53% said they were clear on how to start, and only 23% conducted workforce development planning.
To bridge this gap, Dr Tan suggested a simple three-step approach for companies:
- Assess your workforce: Understand your current human capital, identify skills gaps, and consider how roles may be affected by technology.
- Chart a plan: Develop a strategy to raise the value of your workforce. This could include strategic workforce planning or creating an employee investment plan.
- Execute: Put your plans into action by building career progression pathways, opportunities for employees, and adopting skills-first hiring practices to uncover hidden talent.
Employers can tap on various resources to support these steps. For instance, WSG’s Career Conversion Programme helps mid-career workers take on new roles in growth sectors. Companies can also make use of the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC), which offsets up to 90% of out-of-pocket costs for training supported by SkillsFuture.
At the early stages of their journey, employers may consider joining NTUC’s Company Training Committees, which offer a series of events and support for workplace transformation.
Later this year, more tools will be introduced to help employers assess their workforce’s skills readiness, identify suitable training programmes, and explore opportunities for job redesign.
Dr Tan concluded: “Workforce development, like preventive health, works best when done early, consistently, and with intent. You may not always see immediate results. But over time, it pays off – with healthier careers, more motivated employees, and a stronger business.”
Infographic / MOM
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