• 72% of employers indicate that they find it difficultto fill roles due to shortage of talent with the required skill sets
• 99% of employers agree that there is greater need foremployees in hybrid roles to meet their current business objectives
• 71% of employers intend to hire candidates withbroader skill sets in the future

SINGAPORE - MediaOutReach - 21 December 2020 - In a COVID-19economy where companies and individuals are compelled to adapt and evolve in aworld of disruption, the change in skills required to keep businesses viable isoutpacing the talent available. This is evidenced by seven in 10 employers(72%) citing difficulty in filling vacant roles in their companies. Inaddition, almost all employers (99%) agree that there is a greater need foremployees who can take on hybrid roles, in order to meet their current businessobjectives. A large majority of employers (71%) also intend to hire candidateswith broader skill sets in the future.

These are some of the key findings in NTUCLearningHub's (NTUC LHUB) latest survey conducted to gain industry insights publishedin the New Normal of Sector Skills report. To evaluate varying degrees ofimpact caused by the pandemic on the six major industry clusters, the surveywas conducted online in October 2020 with 367 business leaders (senior managersor directors and above) and 567 full-time employees across the Modern Services,Manufacturing, Essential Domestic Services, Lifestyle, Built Environment, andTrade and Connectivity industry clusters.

In the face of a complex business environment wherehybrid roles are in demand, 69% of employees say they have to adopt new skillsin their daily work, and 71% feel the urgency to upskill and reskill to keepthemselves competitive in the job market. The same sentiments apply toemployers, where 84% indicate that it was necessary for employees to learn newskills due to changes brought about by COVID-19 to their businesses.

In general, when employers were asked to select thetop three most valuable supplementary skills for employees in a hybrid role,the three skills include 'Effective Communication' (57%), 'Teamwork/Collaboration' (57%), and 'Data Analysis' (54%).

In terms of industry clusters, employers in 'BuiltEnvironment' were the most inclined (90%) towards hiring candidates withbroader skill sets for hybrid roles. This is followed closely by those in the 'Trade& Connectivity', and 'Manufacturing' industry clusters, where 89% ofemployers say the same.

Commenting on the findings, NTUC LHUB's Chairman,Eugene Wong, says, "In a world where we are in a constant state of change, wecannot remain single-tracked when it comes to our careers. To navigate the newnorm and seek out opportunities, it is key to stay informed about the latestjobs and skills in demand, then take action by upskilling for employer-covetedhybrid roles and supplementary skills."

"As the business environment transforms, there willinevitably be shifts in the skills that are in demand. To future-proof youremployability, stay open for multiple career pathways by constantly upskillingor even reskilling to remain ready, relevant and resilient in challengingtimes."

To download The New Normal of SectorSkill report, visit https:// www.ntuclearninghub.com/sector-skills-report-2020 .

About NTUC LearningHub

NTUCLearningHub was corporatised in 2004 with the vision of transforming thelifelong employability of working people. We work with both corporate and individualclients to provide learning solutions in areas such as Infocomm Technology,Healthcare, Employability & Literacy, Business Excellence, Workplace Safety& Health, Security, Human Resources and Foreign Worker Training.

Todate, NTUC LearningHub has helped over 21,000 organisations and achieved over2.5 million training places across more than 500 courses with a pool of over600 certified trainers. As a Total Learning Solutions provider toorganisations, we also forge partnerships and provide a wide range of relevantend-to-end training solutions and work constantly to improve our trainingquality and delivery.

Formore information, visit www.ntuclearninghub.com .