‘Support must begin before workers are affected’: DPM Gan says jobs at centre of Singapore’s economic strategy
The deputy prime minister also said Singapore must be a relevant economy, not just an open one.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong speaking at the Economic Society of Singapore’s 70th annual dinner held at the Orchard Hotel on Aug 27, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong)
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SINGAPORE: Good jobs should not be an afterthought in economic strategy, but a core part of the plan, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said on Thursday (Aug 27).
They are not simply a social outcome to be addressed because productive work gives people agency, dignity, social recognition and confidence – beyond just providing an income, he said.
Mr Gan was speaking at the Economic Society of Singapore’s 70th anniversary dinner at Orchard Hotel Singapore, where he also participated in a dialogue session.
His comments come amid discussions about whether artificial intelligence-led growth will lead to better outcomes for the broader economy and workers.
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The government’s economic strategy was also recently debated in parliament after the Workers’ Party moved a motion that called for an economy of the future that works for all Singaporeans.
The House passed an amended motion calling for a more equal and inclusive economy that has room for both local companies and global enterprises.
Mr Gan on Thursday said Singapore’s economic strategy will involve adopting technology to allow people to do more valuable work, take on broader responsibilities, earn better wages and progress in their careers.
“We need to identify early roles that are potentially exposed to AI and create effective career bridges into work that builds on existing skills,” he said.
Targeted training, guidance, job matching and actual placement should be combined, said Mr Gan, who is also minister for trade and industry.
Beyond individual efforts to be adaptable, the system must also respond faster, use better information, link training to real jobs and help people to adapt before disruption turns into prolonged unemployment.
Employers, training institutions, unions and the government need to act together, he said.
“Learning must remain closely connected to work, and support must begin before workers are affected,” said Mr Gan.
JOBS OUTSIDE OF AI
Singapore’s strategy must also cover a broader range of jobs because not everyone will or should become an AI engineer, he said.
He pointed to roles in care, allied health, early childhood education, skilled trades and essential services that technology can support but cannot easily replace.
These jobs depend on judgment, dexterity, trust and human interaction, he said.
“The task is not merely to preserve these jobs as they are. It is to raise their productivity, improve their design, strengthen progression and support better wages,” he added.
At a dialogue session on Wednesday, Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) said AI and automation may allow companies to produce more with fewer workers.
That sentiment was echoed by Mr Gan. “We cannot assume that the same rate of growth will generate the same number of jobs as before.”
But he added that as some existing jobs change, shrink or disappear, new tasks and roles will emerge.
“There is no need to be alarmist. This is not likely to lead to immediate, economy-wide job losses,” he said. “But neither should we be complacent. We need to manage this transition well.”
STAYING RELEVANT IN A CHANGING WORLD
Mr Gan also said that Singapore’s openness helped it to attract investments and create new markets, but that is no longer enough.
The world is more fragmented, and trade and investment will not always flow along the most efficient route, he said, highlighting factors like reliability, security and strategic alignment as being important.
“A hub that is merely convenient or efficient can be bypassed for many of these conditions,” he said. “Singapore must therefore move from just being open, to being relevant.”
To do so, Singapore should concentrate on areas where it can build hard-to-replicate advantages and become integral to supply chains and operations.
The country already has capabilities in high-value manufacturing and trusted services, which can be deepened further. Investments can also be anchored more firmly through partnerships and a strong base of talent.
Singapore should also evolve to be a hub where flows are decided, managed, financed, governed and translated into value.
“In simple terms, we must move from moving things to determining how things move,” he said.
“This is how a small economy creates leverage: by being useful to many, while being difficult to replace in a few important areas.”
RENEWAL AND RESILIENCE
Besides building on existing strengths, Singapore should also encourage new firms and business models so that there can be renewal.
Companies may need help restructuring or pivoting before their problems become entrenched.
When it comes to partnerships, Mr Gan said Singapore needs to continuously demonstrate the value that it brings to the table.
“But we must also recognise that the same openness that creates opportunity can also transmit shocks,” he said.
For example, a change in export controls, an interruption to energy supplies, or a new requirement imposed by a major market could alter the economics of an industry very quickly.
The country should diversify critical sources, maintain strategic buffers and deepen partnerships, he said.
“Resilience buys us time. Agility allows us to do the necessary during that time,” he said.
Mr Gan said the choices that Singapore makes “amount to a particular form of small-state realism”.
This realism is not about accepting outcomes passively or making excuses and having lower ambitions.
Instead, it is about Singapore’s small size well – bringing government, businesses and unions together to spot opportunities early, take calculated risks, move quickly, manage change carefully and scale decisively.
“It means being clear about the few things we must secure, be selective about where we compete, and be flexible about how we will get there,” he said.
Source: CNA/an(sn)
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