Electronics manufacturing roadmap eyes 2,100 new jobs, S$22b in value-add by 2020: Iswaran

SINGAPORE's electronics sector is set to achieve a manufacturing value-add of S$22.2 billion and create 2,100 new professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) jobs by 2020, as the electronics industry transformation map (ITM) kicked off on Wednesday.

Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran said at the opening of JTC nanoSpace@Tampines that mobile devices and the emergence of new application areas such as autonomous vehicle, artificial intelligence and healthcare, will continue to drive growth in electronics in the future.

He noted that the electronics industry has been, and will continue to be, a key sector of growth for Singapore's economy.

In 2016, electronics manufacturing accounted for 4.4 per cent of Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP), with S$90 billion in manufacturing output, and employment of about 70,000 people.

The roadmap sets out a two-pronged strategy to grow the industry.

Firstly, Singapore will diversify into new growth opportunities in the electronics sector such as urban mobility and healthcare, strengthening innovation ecosystem and positioning Singapore as an innovation hub for new products and solutions.

Secondly, Singapore will transform the current base of electronics manufacturing and attract new investments in high-value components.

These include supporting companies to undertake advanced manufacturing innovation, boost productivity through adoption of robotics and automation, as well as attracting and anchoring high value-added manufacturing activities.

To grow a strong pipeline of local talent, Mr Iswaran also launched the Skills Framework for Electronics. It identifies emerging skills and competencies for the sector in the areas of robotics and automation, artificial intelligence and data analytics, which the local workforce in the electronics sector would need to acquire to be future-ready, said Mr Iswaran.

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