NTUC LHUB launches leadership academy to advance human skills that complement AI

Jeremy Ong, CEO, NTUC LearningHub, cited human skills such as thinking skills, leadership, coaching, people management as "more critical than ever" in building a future-ready workforce.

NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) has launched a leadership academy to help leaders strengthen the human capabilities needed to navigate increasing complexity.

The NTUC LHUB leadership academy was officially launched on 29 January at the NTUC LearningHub Human+ Symposium, attended by HRO. It was officiated by Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information.

In his welcome address, Jeremy Ong, CEO, NTUC LearningHub, said: "As we enter the era shaped by rapid digital transformation and rise of AI, human skills such as thinking skills, leadership, coaching, people management are more critical than ever in building a future-ready workforce."

In this AI-driven age, he added, the ability to lead with empathy and compassion is key in driving organisational and social outcomes.

He pointed to findings from NTUC LHUB’s Leadership and Coaching Report 2025, which revealed a clear disconnect between leaders’ self-perception and employees’ experiences. While 83% of leaders believe they demonstrate emotional intelligence well, only 50% of employees surveyed agreed. Emotional intelligence was also cited by employees as the top capability leaders lack.

To that effect, the leader acknowledged: "This clear disconnect highlights that leaders today must evolve in tandem with workforce expectations. But as we know, it is not easy. Leaders must also manage constant change, balance competing priorities, and support diverse teams while staying clear and effective."

Thus, as he later shared, the launch of the new academy – which he said "aims to elevate leadership excellence in Singapore, by further equipping our workforce with critical human capabilities needed to thrive in an increasingly complex and AI-enabled environment."

What the leadership academy will offer

Building on its existing leadership and people management programmes, the leadership academy aims to further support leadership development across different career stages.

It introduces nine new courses designed to be experiential and practice oriented. These are anchored on three core leadership dimensions: cognitive, emotive and behavioural capabilities.

For early-stage managers, NTUC LHUB is rolling out three leadership courses developed in collaboration with Harvard Business Impact. These focus on self-awareness, emotional intelligence and people-centric influence, with practical frameworks and real-world application tools.

Support for mid-level managers will be expanded through two additional courses focused on influence, strategic change and leading teams through transformation.

The academy also expands NTUC LHUB’s coaching suite with two new courses aligned with the International Coaching Federation’s globally recognised accreditation standards. Two emotional intelligence courses for mid and senior leaders will also be introduced, developed in alignment with the Genos Model of Emotional Intelligence.

In addition to that, four courses under the academy will lead to the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP)’s responsible people manager role badge. Developed based on rubrics established by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) and IHRP, these courses recognise people managers who demonstrate responsible, fair and future-ready leadership, in line with the Workplace Fairness Act.

Human+ brand reflects focus on people alongside technology

At the event, NTUC LHUB also unveiled its brand identity – 'Human+ Championed by NTUC LearningHub', which it says reflects its commitment to advancing human skills that complement technology.

According to Ong, the Human+ vision brings together the leadership academy and the thinking academy launched last year, both of which aim to equip individuals with the mindsets and capabilities needed to thrive in a technology-driven environment.

“By strengthening cognitive, emotive, and behavioural capabilities together, leaders can gain clarity of thought, emotional intelligence, and practical skills needed to navigate complexity and drive meaningful transformation,” he shared.

In her speech at the event, Minister Teo said the Human+ initiative aligns with national efforts to develop both AI-related and human capabilities, as Singapore responds to rapid technological change and growing global interest in how countries prepare their workforce for the future.

"We want to shape a future of work that is not about humans versus AI, but about humans doing better with AI," she commented.

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Lead image / Journalist's own