"Skills gap between younger and older Singapore workers: OECD study - The Straits Times 29 Jun 2016
Singapore's younger adults rank highly in numeracy, literacy and problem-solving skills, a major international study has found, but the older generation lags considerably behind. While this reflects the progress in education and training over the decades here, this "skills gap" also highlights that more needs to be done to upgrade the skills of older workers, said experts.
The study of 34 economies by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which included Singapore for the first time, also linked higher skill levels to better wages here, another reason for older workers to keep improving themselves.
Still, employers place more premium on qualifications, and a better balance should be found, believes OECD director for education and skills Andreas Schleicher.
"Singapore employers pay quite a lot of attention to formal qualifications," said Dr Schleicher. But this might not be a good indicator of one's proficiency.
"It's the use of skills that drives productivity, not years of education," he added."
So, Singapore was included for the 1st time in this particular survey. As such, should we place too much emphasis on the results?
Anyway, my takeaways are:
1. seriously numeracy, literacy and problems solving were assessed in this survey, I cannot quite wrapped my mind around the assertion that the older surveyees are not as proficient in numeracy and literacy as my generation of 'Chinese educated students and adults' definitely have better command of English than most present days kids from my working experiences!;
2. as for problems solving skill, this is not learned in the normal education system, problems solving skill is a life skill and for the longest time I had read and seen the emphasis by our government during the National Productivity Board and then SPRING time before its current form as WDA. Have the 'older' surveyees regressed? Or they took it as a 'qualification' where they passed the examination but forgot to practice and apply what they had learned?;
3. the final point in the quote above is the killer: that Singapore employers placed MORE emphasis on qualification that actual demonstrated or demonstrable behaviours (especially of problems solving!) as they pay more for those with more qualifications! This ALONE will kill the efforts by the government and a few ministers chanting that: you don't need to be a graduate to land good paying job!
Anyway, it is a survey that Singapore did not rank No. 1 or No. 2. So, it is a GOOD SURVEY as Singaporeans can look up and realise that we need to work much harder and smarter than ever before!
Finally I wonder if there is a way for the survey to measure: impact of instant gratification on perseverance and resilience!
Singapore's younger adults rank highly in numeracy, literacy and problem-solving skills, a major international study has found, but the older generation lags considerably behind. While this reflects the progress in education and training over the decades here, this "skills gap" also highlights that more needs to be done to upgrade the skills of older workers, said experts.
The study of 34 economies by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which included Singapore for the first time, also linked higher skill levels to better wages here, another reason for older workers to keep improving themselves.
Still, employers place more premium on qualifications, and a better balance should be found, believes OECD director for education and skills Andreas Schleicher.
"Singapore employers pay quite a lot of attention to formal qualifications," said Dr Schleicher. But this might not be a good indicator of one's proficiency.
"It's the use of skills that drives productivity, not years of education," he added."
So, Singapore was included for the 1st time in this particular survey. As such, should we place too much emphasis on the results?
Anyway, my takeaways are:
1. seriously numeracy, literacy and problems solving were assessed in this survey, I cannot quite wrapped my mind around the assertion that the older surveyees are not as proficient in numeracy and literacy as my generation of 'Chinese educated students and adults' definitely have better command of English than most present days kids from my working experiences!;
2. as for problems solving skill, this is not learned in the normal education system, problems solving skill is a life skill and for the longest time I had read and seen the emphasis by our government during the National Productivity Board and then SPRING time before its current form as WDA. Have the 'older' surveyees regressed? Or they took it as a 'qualification' where they passed the examination but forgot to practice and apply what they had learned?;
3. the final point in the quote above is the killer: that Singapore employers placed MORE emphasis on qualification that actual demonstrated or demonstrable behaviours (especially of problems solving!) as they pay more for those with more qualifications! This ALONE will kill the efforts by the government and a few ministers chanting that: you don't need to be a graduate to land good paying job!
Anyway, it is a survey that Singapore did not rank No. 1 or No. 2. So, it is a GOOD SURVEY as Singaporeans can look up and realise that we need to work much harder and smarter than ever before!
Finally I wonder if there is a way for the survey to measure: impact of instant gratification on perseverance and resilience!
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