AI impact on entry-level PMET hiring still uncertain: MOM

[SINGAPORE] The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on professional, managerial, executive and technical jobs remains uncertain, even as it continues to reshape the labour market, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Shawn Huang said in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 3).

He was responding to a question by Nominated Member of Parliament Terence Ho on whether AI adoption is slowing the hiring of fresh graduates in certain sectors or roles.

While there have been year-to-year fluctuations, employment rates of fresh graduates from institutes of higher learning (IHLs) have remained broadly stable over the past decade, Huang noted.

That said, these fluctuations reflect cyclical factors such as “economic uncertainty, geopolitical developments, and changing career aspirations of graduates”.

To prepare graduates for the AI era, IHLs are said to be working closely with sector agencies and industry partners to keep curriculum relevant.

This includes initiatives such as the AI Apprenticeship Programme, which provides opportunities for graduates to apply AI skills in real workplace settings.

In response to a supplementary question by Ho on job redesign, Huang said that the programme will “build a pipeline of young AI practitioners through on-the-job training”.

“Our students must continue to remain adaptable”, he said, adding that the government will support graduates through career matching and coaching services offered by Workforce Singapore and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute.

He also highlighted the Graduate Industry Traineeships programme that help young graduates gain industry-relevant experience and facilitate their transition to permanent employment amid heightened economic uncertainties.

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