20 July 2016

The latest survey by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has reported that there is a large skills gap between young adults and older workers in Singapore, in the areas of numeracy and literacy.

These skills are necessary for adults to actively participate in the labour market and in civic life.

The same study also found that 74 per cent of those in the 25-34 age group had tertiary qualifications – a polytechnic diploma, if not a degree. In contrast, only 31 per cent of those in the 45-65 age group had tertiary qualifications.

These huge differences are a direct result of the improvements in the education system made over the decades, which has disproportionately benefited the younger generation.

There is an urgency for older workers to upgrade their skills, or else they will find the wage gap and level of employability widening.