The previous edition of the SDFE report examined how individuals can take charge of their career planning, and how certain jobs can be more attainable by adopting a multi-step approach to enhance career mobility, bringing individuals closer to their desired jobs.
In this edition, the chapter focuses on examining the interplay between five key factors individuals should consider when seeking career opportunities:
- Wage1 serves as the indicator of value that employers place in the job.
- Demand for jobs refers to the extent to which the job market is seeking to hire for that job role. Understanding the demand for certain jobs can help individuals identify areas where their skills and expertise are sought after, and what some potential career opportunities are.
- Growth of job roles refers to the trend in the demand for the job over the past three years. Recognising job roles with positive growth trends can guide individuals towards job roles that have growth prospects and advancement opportunities.
- Skills similarity refers to the amount of skills overlap between two jobs. It helps the individuals identify the relevance and transferability of one’s existing skills to different job roles, either within the same sector or across sectors. Recognising similarities between current and desired skills can guide individuals on the effort and feasibility of making a career move.
- Historical transitions across job roles refer to actual movements of workers from one job to the other. Understanding historical transitions can provide insights into the adaptability and resilience of certain career moves, helping individuals make informed decisions2.
On top of these criteria, career development professionals also highlight that individuals can consider past experience, resources required in terms of time and effort, and affordability when making a career move, other than their own values, interest, personality, and skills (VIPS).
The five factors are incorporated into a Skills and Job Mobility Dashboard which can be used to explore career pathways that can lead to growth opportunities.
The Skills and Job Mobility Dashboard was used to generate the insights for this chapter.
146 in-demand job roles with good growth and potential for career mobility were identified based on 2023 job posting data.
146 in-demand job roles with good growth and potential for career mobility were identified based on 2023 job posting data.
This analysis is limited by the availability of wage and demand data. Out of a total of 1,002 job roles, wage and demand data were obtained for 342 job roles.
Of these 342 job roles, 146 good job roles termed as ‘job roles with good growth and potential for career mobility’ was shortlisted by applying three criteria:
- Jobs that offer wage of S$3,300 and above
- Jobs that are in demand by employers
- Jobs that are growing in demand
To explore these job roles, mouseover the data points more information. Additionally, the chart may be filtered to show only the job roles with good growth and potential for career mobility.
Using the Skills and Job Mobility Dashboard with a Built-in Five-Factor Criteria to Analyse Job Transitions
The 146 job roles with good growth and potential for career mobility take centre stage in this Skills and Job Mobility Dashboard. A range of career transitions is possible, both into these roles, as well as eventually out to another job role.
The purpose of the dashboard is primarily for exploration and analysis only. It is recommended to have conversations with Career Coaches, Skills Ambassadors, or supervisors to further the exploration.
There are multiple approaches that individuals can undertake to fulfil their career moves. Job transitions may sometimes require a decrease in salary, depending on the needs of an individual. This situation can arise from various factors such as work-life balance, relocation, personal growth to gain experience in certain fields, job market conditions, and health considerations. It is important to note that while a salary decrease may seem disadvantageous, it can sometimes lead to long-term benefits such as improved job satisfaction, better work-life balance, or enhanced career prospects.
How to use the Skills and Job Mobility Dashboard
- Identify your current job role in the ‘Origin Job Role’ drop-down list. Choose the job role which is the closest match to yours.
- Select a job role that you are interested to explore in ‘First Destination Job Role’.
- The fields in the 'Origin Job Role' to ‘First Destination Job Role' will be populated based on backend algorithms. The job transitions are identified based on the job roles with the highest skills similarity score. These job roles are then shortlisted and appear in the drop-down list. The insights will show:
- Skills similarity between ‘Origin Job Role’ and ‘First Destination Job Role’
- Historical Transition in the past two years
- Difference in wages (if any, positive or negative wage gain)
- Key skills of the second job role and corresponding courses if reskilling is required.
- Select ‘Second Destination Job Role' if one is interested to know the possible move from first destination job role
- Similar to step three, the fields in the ‘First Destination Job role’ to ‘Second Destination Job Role’ will be populated.
This career path demonstrates a strategic progression with increasing responsibility and wage potential. High skills similarity between these roles may facilitate smooth career advancement, showcasing the interconnected nature of these positions. Real-life career transitions have been observed among these three identified job roles.
Customer service officers7 build essential communication and problem-solving skills, which will then be required by logistics planners8. The additional skills required may include operational efficiency and coordination. Two to three years of work experience will typically be required as well.
One can enrol in a SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) for Advanced Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, or Career Conversion Programme (CCP) for Supply Chain and Logistics Professionals to prepare for the transition to logistics planner.
The next step to administrative manager9 — often achievable after three to four years as a logistics planner — capitalises on the combined customer-centric and operational expertise. Key skills required by an administrative manager include Business Presentation Delivery, Change Management, and Stakeholder Management.
This career path demonstrates a strategic progression leveraging transferable skills and adapting to the digital economy.
Starting as a receptionist10 builds essential communication and organisational skills, which transition well into an online sales channel executive11 role where digital communication and customer engagement become key, typically achievable after one to two years of work experience.
Despite low skills similarity and no historical job transitions between receptionists and online sales channel executives, one can consider enrolling in the SCTP for Omnichannel Specialist to prepare for the job transition.
The next possible step to digital marketing professional12— often achievable after two to three years of work experience — capitalises on the combined customer interaction expertise and digital platform knowledge gained in previous roles. The CCP for Digital Sales and Marketing Professionals aids this transition.
This three- to five-year pathway demonstrates progression from traditional to specialised digital marketing skills, offering increasing responsibilities and wage potential.
This design-centric career pathway demonstrates how professionals can leverage their creative skills to transition across related fields.
Starting as a graphic designer13 builds a strong foundation in visual communication and digital tools, which translates well for a visual merchandiser14 where spatial design and brand representation become important. Key skills for visual merchandisers include Brand Management and Digital and Physical Prototyping.
The next possible step to product and industrial designer15 capitalises on visual communication skills, expanding into physical product creation. While historical data on these specific transitions may be limited, the high skills similarity between these roles suggests potential for successful career shifts. The SCTP and CCP are available to support the transition to the product and industrial designer role.
This transition typically takes five to eight years in total, offering increasing responsibilities and creative scope as one progresses from digital design to retail environment to product innovation.
Workforce Singapore
Plan and act
towards fulfilling careers, with your desired wage growth and career
mobility.
Workforce Singapore
Plan and act
towards fulfilling
careers, with your desired wage growth and career mobility.
Ready to plan your career or consider the next step in your career? Dive into the CareersFinder portal to explore a range of career options tailored based on your skills and experiences.
For a personalised guidance,
Book a consultation with a career coachTo make the best of longer working lives due to increased longevity, one could plan more purposeful career transitions, over the different stages of one’s career16. While some career changes may be driven by one’s immediate financial goals, a purposeful career transition is facilitated by proactive planning and consideration of one’s values, interest, personality, and skills (VIPS), and purpose for a fulfilling career17.
Having a career plan also allows one to consider a longer-term view, where a new role might not offer an immediate salary increase but sets the stage for future career changes and growth.
To plan one’s career in Singapore, there are self-help digital tools and resources available, such as CareersFinder and Workipedia by MyCareersFuture, as well as personalised career guidance provided by career coaches.
Ready to plan your career or consider the next step in your career? Dive into the CareersFinder portal to explore a range of career options tailored based on your skills and experiences.
For a personalised guidance,
Book a consultation with a career coachMaurice Ng, a Senior Career Coach at WSG, recalled a successful career transition by his client, a software engineer, whose contract was not renewed. He worked with his client to align career goals with his VIPS to shortlist vacancies that resonated with his career goals, and his client took courses in AI to close the skills gap between his previous and new job. Through tailored resume-crafting and intensive interview preparation, Maurice guided his client into a new role in Smart Technology, leading to a 20% wage increase and pivoting into an emerging role with longer-term career growth opportunities.
Take a well-planned leap, not into the unknown, but into purposeful career transitions to unlock new opportunities, get closer to your wage aspirations, and open the way to long-term professional growth.
Flex and flexibility, finding yourself, virtual fitting rooms, and embodied cognition. These are new tools18 designed for successful multiple job transitions, termed Open Loop Careers in a recent research that we completed. The study emphasised that individuals must flex (i.e. demonstrate) their ability to perform in new jobs or roles, instead of claiming they can or have the qualifications. Workers also need to develop flexible work identities, identifying with their next position during career transitions.
Both flex and flexibility are challenging. To address this, we designed localised tools to engender earlier change and smoother transitions.
To exercise flexibility, we designed tools to find yourself:
- Career Quest Cards19: A gamified, fun and tactile self-discovery/assessment of trade-offs to clarify priorities
- Career Journey Maps: A tactile, visual, active reflection similar to reminiscence therapy and functional medicine
To exercise flexing, we built virtual fitting rooms that include:
- Skills Swap: A role-playing game to expand work options to the unfamiliar or unusual, yet plausible
- What’s Next GPT: Uses GenAI to map creative options to the whole-of-person i.e. work, life and wellbeing
These tools engage multiple senses to engender earlier change, because when we “set the body in motion, the brain follows”20. They adopt the cognitive science view of “embodied cognition” where brain, body and environment are engaged in thinking and decision-making, unlike the conventional focus on the brain as a computer where change happens by “installing instructions”.
These tools also enhance other resources such as the Employability Self-Assessment for Older Adults, which reveals areas where flex and flexibility in work are enhanced.
Moreover, when stacked in sequence — where the output of one tool becomes the input for another — individuals feel a sense of progress, further engendering change. This approach increases the likelihood of successfully making multiple transitions.
Importantly, these new tools complement, recognise, and leverage existing skills like communication, collaboration, and problem-solving that are crucial when making job transitions. Together with these foundational competencies, the combinations provide a strong basis for adapting to new roles and industries, giving individuals a significant advantage in their career shifts.
From Classroom to Marketing
Having spent years in education as an English teacher, Ms Selene Diong brings a unique perspective when she switched to take up a marketing role at a private education provider. Her teaching background allowed her to shape marketing strategies that are not only impactful but also deeply authentic, resonating with the community her organisation serves.
Acquiring Digital Skills for Career Transition
After spending much of her career in the classroom, she saw this as an opportunity to develop skills outside of teaching, which would allow her to grow professionally in new directions. This role also gives her the freedom to learn something highly transferable —digital marketing skills that can be applied across industries and future opportunities and resonates with her long-term goals. “It’s important that we market what we actually deliver in the classroom. My background as an educator gives me insights that help avoid a mismatch between what we promise and what we deliver”, shared Selene. As the Head of Enrolment and Marketing, she oversees the strategic direction for student enrolment and all marketing efforts, ensuring effective communication of the value of their programmes to both students and parents.
Navigating the Learning Curve through a SkillsFuture Programme
Selene’s learning journey has been a mix of self-discovery and continuous learning. She realised that she needed a more structured approach to learning, which is when she signed up for the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) Advanced Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing at NTU. She now approaches her role with more confidence, knowing that the skills she acquired are helping her contribute to both her personal and organisational goals.
Lifelong Learning is the key to Career Transition
Selene’s mantra is to embrace every opportunity to learn and grow. Lifelong learning is an investment that pays off both personally and professionally, and it is a reminder that every new chapter in life is a chance to reinvent oneself. The ability to adapt, embrace change, and acquire new skills is what will keep her competitive and fulfilled in her professional life.
Translating Military Precision into Civilian Operations
After 40 years in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Mr Paramasivam S/O Rajagopal transitioned to facilities management at 55. “Retirement felt too early,” he says. Now, as an Operations Executive, he oversees logistics, manages soft services like janitorial teams, and serves as a safety officer, applying his decision-making and problem-solving skills honed in the military.
Navigating Independent Decision-Making
The shift from a structured military environment to the corporate world was challenging. “In the military, we follow top-down instructions, but here, I have to make independent decisions, which keeps me engaged,” Paramasivam explains. To adapt, he completed the Career Conversion Programme (CCP) for Professional Executives at NTUC LearningHub, gaining critical skills in Equipment Maintenance, Project Coordination, and Problem Solving to manage his role effectively.
Embracing Technology for Efficiency
Adapting to industry changes also required embracing technology. His team adopted digital apps to streamline logistics and maintenance, reducing paper use and supporting sustainability. This shift has improved operational efficiency and aligned with modern environmental standards.
Work-Life Balance and Continuous Learning
Paramasivam values work-life balance alongside technical expertise. “In my younger days, work was about securing a future. Now, it’s about spending time with family and maintaining mental well-being,” he shares. As Singapore advances towards digitalisation, Paramasivam combines his technical skills with adaptability. “It’s essential to keep upgrading our skills to stay relevant,” he says, embracing professional growth and personal balance.
A Journey of Rediscovering Passion in Hospitality
Mr Chris Tan’s path to his current role has been anything but conventional. After working on a kiwi orchard in New Zealand during a working holiday, he returned to his true passion — hospitality. “Hospitality has always drawn me in,” he reflects on his studies at the Singapore Institute of Technology. Now, as Assistant Community Manager, he thrives in a role that combines community building with guest experience management.
Crafting Memorable Moments Beyond the Desk
“I can’t sit behind a desk all day,” Chris shares. He manages VIP guests, organises events, and ensures memorable stays by adding personal touches like nature walks and cooking classes. With 30% of guests staying long-term, Chris builds lasting relationships, which is a key aspect of his role.
From Picking Fruit to Picking Solutions
The transition from outdoor work to hospitality was made easier by the on-the-job training of his Career Conversion Programme for Tourism Professionals at the hotel he was working at and the supportive culture set by management. He mastered the hotel’s cloud-based property management system and developed his prowess in Event Planning and Management. Chris also draws heavily upon Critical Core Skills like Communication, Customer Orientation and Problem Solving in his daily work. “No two complaints are the same, so you need to think on your feet,” he says.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Chris thrives in the dynamic nature of his job, where managing guest expectations is a challenge he enjoys. His success stems from blending technical skills with interpersonal abilities, always learning and adapting. “Sometimes, you have to step out of your comfort zone,” he says, embracing growth in hospitality.
SSG and WSG offer a range of resources, tools, programmes, and initiatives to help you explore career opportunities, identify and acquire the necessary skills to increase employability, improve job performance, and adapt to job content changes.
Here are some specially curated resources to build a viable, long-term professional development career and skills strategy.
