The national Jobs Bank will soon be more than
just a portal for Singaporeans to find work as the Government moves
to improve its functions to better guide workers on skills training
and match them to relevant jobs.
The Jobs Bank, run by statutory board Workforce
Singapore (WSG), will be integrated with the SkillsFuture
Singapore-run Individual Learning Portfolio, which will curate
information about the training and jobs landscape when it is rolled
out in stages from this year.
When it is complete, Singaporeans will be able to turn
to one portal for their training, learning and employment needs,
spokesmen from both agencies told The Straits Times yesterday.
The move comes at a time of muted employment growth in
a slower economy and a push for higher productivity.
It also follows recommendations by the Committee on the
Future Economy (CFE) to integrate both portals.
The CFE, tasked to chart the next phase of growth,
released its report last Thursday.
It said two shifts were required for Singaporeans to
adapt and thrive in a constantly changing jobs market: People have
to work towards acquiring deep skills throughout their life; and
more opportunities must be created for them to use their skills on
the job.
It also called on the Government to make the Jobs Bank
more user-friendly.
The WSG spokesman said the portal will be enhanced this
year, and details will be released at a later date.
He said the enhancements are a result of feedback from
users.
Jobs Bank was launched in 2014 under the Fair
Consideration Framework.
Employers must post vacancies on the portal for
positions paying less than $12,000 a month for at least 14 days,
before they can apply to hire a foreigner on an Employment
Pass.
Observers and users suggested that a revamped Jobs Bank
could take on the role of a virtual career advisor for job
seekers.
Singapore Human Resources Institute president Erman Tan
and Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Zaqy Mohamad said the portal could
recommend jobs and courses to people based on profiles they create
listing their work experience, for instance.
Labour MP Patrick Tay said applicants could have their
skill gaps identified for them based on their curriculum vitae and
the requirements of the jobs they are applying for.
Data from the portal could also be used to inform
policy on training, observers said.
If the data shows that jobs in certain sectors are not
being filled by locals, training agencies can focus efforts on
helping locals develop the required expertise, said Mr Joshua Yim,
chief executive officer of recruitment firm Achieve Group.
WSG said it does not track the number of job matches or
how long new hires stay on, as job seekers and employers are not
required to provide updates after a successful job search or
hire.
Research analyst Sean Yeo, 27, who has used the career
resources section of the Jobs Bank to help prepare for interviews,
suggested having a feature to track the progress of a job
application.
For instance, it would show whether an application has
been seen by companies, and if an interview has been scheduled.
"For a fresh graduate navigating the unfamiliar job
search process for the first time, this would be very helpful," he
said.
TNP