This article summarizes a discussion from "The Hammer Show" focusing on how Singapore can navigate global trade wars and technological disruptions, particularly from AI and robotics. The panel features individuals with private sector experience across various industries, offering diverse perspectives on the challenges and opportunities ahead.
The Global Context: Trade Wars and Technological Revolution
The discussion acknowledges the backdrop of ongoing global trade wars and the uncertainty they create. It also addresses the potential for widespread disruption arising from advancements in AI and robotics. Despite these concerns, the panel emphasizes Singapore's resilience and ability to emerge stronger from past crises. The key is drawing on diverse perspectives and innovative ideas.
Protecting Singaporean Workers
Managing the Impact
Michael stresses the importance of managing the impact of global forces beyond Singapore's control. He advocates for government measures to protect workers displaced by job losses. The rising number of retrenchments across multinational corporations in Singapore underscores the urgency of this issue as AI and trade wars create further disruption.
Reskilling and Upskilling
Kenneth highlights the importance of reskilling and continuous learning. He suggests leveraging existing programs like SkillsFuture credits to access resources like ChatGPT subscriptions and coding tools. This would enhance the productivity of coders and other tech professionals.
On-the-Job Learning
Alexis echoes the value of on-the-job learning, suggesting longer apprenticeship programs in schools. Current short programs may not provide sufficient time for meaningful training. She also noted the importance of government working with business to have education plan that will help with employment issues.
Career Transitions and Resilience
Personal Experience
Alexis shares her own experience of transitioning careers, which involved a significant pay cut and extensive relearning. She emphasizes the importance of an open-minded and willingness to learn from scratch.
Singapore's Economic Resilience
Alexis cautions against making short-term decisions based on single world events. She points to Singapore's ability to weather previous crises, including past trade wars, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine war. The focus should be on long-term goals, addressing the skills gap between graduates and industry needs.
Entrepreneurship and Survival
Adapting to Change
Jimmy, an entrepreneur, highlights the importance of survival in business. He stresses the need to constantly explore new markets and sources, never allowing a business to remain stagnant.
Seizing Opportunities
Jimmy recounts diving into a new business opportunity during a challenging time, which proved crucial to survival during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said his goal for his source and target market can never stay stagnant.
Fostering a Culture of Adaptability
Constant Evolution
Michael emphasizes that change is constant. He believes that training should focus on developing skills that enable continuous learning and adaptability. The goal is to prepare students and workers to be comfortable with change and curious about future frontiers.
Rethinking Education
Alexis supports the idea of cultivating a nimble mindset among students. She notes that much of her job-related skills were acquired through on-the-job learning, suggesting a need for longer apprenticeship programs to bridge the gap between education and practical application.
Overcoming Complacency
The Danger of Stagnation
Jimmy warns against complacency, urging constant self-assessment to ensure readiness for change. History is full of companies that were once dominant but failed to adapt.
Encouraging Entrepreneurial Mindsets
Michael notes the difficulty of fostering an entrepreneurial mindset within large, established companies. He emphasizes the importance of starting young, teaching children that failure is acceptable and a step toward success.
The Importance of a Strong Social Safety Net
Removing Subsistence Concerns
Kenneth emphasizes the need for a strong social safety net to encourage innovation. This includes unemployment support and retrenchment benefits, providing a cushion for those who take risks. He makes analogy to Chinese dynasties who were able to progress because their inventors did not need to worry about their next meal.
Supporting Singaporean Firms in the Global Market
Exploring New Markets
Jimmy stresses the importance of constantly exploring new markets and recommends that the government should bring SMEs overseas to venture into these new market. He also points out the importance of funding.
Government Support
Michael emphasizes the complexity of navigating international markets. He believes the government can provide more in-depth support to companies expanding abroad. He also suggests offering support earlier in a company's lifecycle, at the pre-seed stage.
Redundancy Programs
Alexis advocates for government-supported redundancy programs to assist workers facing layoffs, particularly in rapidly evolving industries. She suggests a common insurance funded by both employers and employees.
Key Gaps and Future Directions
When asked to identify a key gap, the panel offered the following:
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Kenneth: Provide more risk capital to local businesses.
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Alexis: Improve collaboration between businesses and schools to align education with industry needs.
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Michael: Implement safeguards for failure, such as unemployment insurance.
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Jimmy: For the future generation: "Dare to venture or dare to be creative, dare to try."
The discussion concludes with a call for Singaporeans to embrace risk and innovation, supported by proactive government policies and a culture that values continuous learning.