The Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), a new statutory board under the Ministry of Manpower and jointly overseen with the Ministry of Education, is formed today to bring together skills and workforce development, and employment support functions under a single agency.
Formed through a merger of SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore, SWDA will build on the strengths of both organisations developed over the past decade. SWDA aims to enable Singaporeans to take charge of their careers, learn for life, and access good jobs. SWDA also aims to enable employers to design good jobs and develop a skilled workforce.
SWDA will focus on three key areas:
- Enabling individuals to own their learning and career journeys and access opportunities at every stage of work — We aim to enhance access to job and training opportunities through improved triaging and needs-based services. With increased labour market information, and enhanced navigational and recommender tools, we aim to enable individuals to make informed training and career decisions, plan their career journeys, and grow in their careers.
- Equipping employers to design good jobs and invest in workforce development to build a future-ready workforce — We will support employers in building capability to design jobs and adopting skills-first practices to attract and retain talent. We will partner with employers to signal in-demand skills, enhance workplace learning and improve adoption of upskilling and reskilling programmes.
- Establishing a more integrated and responsive training, career and employment services ecosystem — We will partner and build the capabilities of providers in training, career and employment services. Our goal is to establish a trusted, high-quality, industry-relevant and innovative ecosystem that serves the diverse needs of both individuals and employers, offering stronger support for career transitions, lifelong career, and skills development.
SWDA will work closely with our partners, including institutions of higher learning, tripartite partners, industry associations and service providers, to meet evolving workforce needs, integrate jobs-skills data, co-create practical solutions for individuals and employers to create a seamless skills and career journey.
Ms Dilys Boey, Chief Executive of SWDA, said, “Amidst a rapidly changing global economy and an ageing workforce, SWDA will build on the work that both SSG and WSG have done in the past decade to support individuals navigate career transitions and build the necessary skills to access good job opportunities. As businesses adopt new technologies, we will support employers to adopt a human-centred approach to job design and enhance access to industry-relevant skills development programmes. And critical to this journey, are our industry, training and career employment services partners in delivering high-quality, industry-relevant and innovative services that address differing needs at every career stage.
Said Mr Kok Ping Soon, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Business Federation: “The formation of the Skills and Workforce Development Agency is a timely step as businesses navigate rapid workforce changes driven by technological disruption and AI. By bringing skills, jobs and workforce support into a more integrated system, SWDA will give companies—especially SMEs—clearer, more coordinated support to transform and stay competitive. The Singapore Business Federation stands ready to work closely with SWDA and industry partners to turn this into practical outcomes, because strong collaboration across government and industry will be key to building resilient, future ready businesses.”
Professor Chua Kee Chaing, President, Singapore Institute of Technology, said, “The formation of SWDA, with its focus on bringing together training, career guidance, and job placements, is much needed in an increasingly volatile job landscape disrupted by AI. Its mission resonates with SIT’s own mission to maximise the potential of our learners, whether through industry-aligned upskilling informed by our close collaboration with industry, or skills assessment that helps working professionals understand where they stand. We look forward to partnering with SWDA in our shared commitment to helping Singaporeans realise their potential at every stage of their careers.”
About Skills and Workforce Development Agency
The Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) drives lifelong learning and workforce development to enable Singaporeans to take charge of their careers, learn for life, access good jobs, and grow in fulfilling careers. We enable employers to build a skilled, future-ready workforce, design quality jobs, and adopt skills recognition practices. Together with our partners, we build a trusted, high-quality, industry-relevant, and innovative ecosystem that meets the evolving workforce needs of both businesses and workers. For more information, please visit www.swda.gov.sg.
