The Need to Strength the Skills Pipeline - Analysis of the PIAAC Data

Changes in the demographic composition and education profile are driving a major structural change in Singapore’s workforce. This workforce shift is taking place against rapid technological advancements and globalization. With advancements in technology and the increasing use of artificial intelligence, a range of existing jobs will be automated, and robotics will be a key influencer for job creation in the near future. The economy is facing a skills gap where a growing portion of the population run the risk of being irrelevant. The primary data source of this paper is Singapore’s literacy scores in Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). The study analysed Singapore’s PIAAC performance by comparing the acquired literacy skills by different age groups. The key aim is to a better understanding of the relationship between literacy skills and the adult working population. This study expands the available research on literacy losses and ageing and lends support to the development of key policies to strengthen the skills upgrading pipeline