by Michael Fung

The fourth industrial revolution is ushering in an era of rapid adoption of digitalisation of industrial sectors across the entire economy, and the underlying drivers are fueling dynamic changes in the nature of jobs, and the pace of skills obsolescence. The conventional paradigm of education is under heavy challenge, as the gap between the skills of graduates and industry needs is widening. A new model is needed across the education and training landscape, one that is more agile and adaptive, to ensure that the workforce remains employable, and for the economy to continue to grow. The SkillsFuture movement in Singapore is provided as a case study on how a nation is evolving towards a paradigm of lifelong learning, to respond to the opportunities and challenges brought about by the fourth industrial revolution and dynamic changes in the local and global economic landscape.