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Oral Answer to PQ on Emerging Trends for Female Professionals

Employment practices

NOTICE PAPER NO. 890 OF 2021 FOR THE SITTING ON 10 JANUARY
QUESTION NO. 2275 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Ms Cheryl Chan Wei Ling
To ask the Minister for Manpower what are the Ministry’s observations of the job market in terms of emerging trends or developments where female professionals are coming forward to apply their skill sets in emerging industries like digitalisation and sustainability.

NOTICE PAPER NO. 898 OF 2021 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 11 JANUARY
QUESTION NO. 2377 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Ms Tin Pei Ling
To ask the Minister for Manpower (a) which growth sectors currently see the largest dearth of women talents and leaders; and (b) what are the factors that could have contributed to this gender imbalance.

Answer
1. Singapore’s female employment rate has increased over the past decade from 54.0% in 2010 to 57.7% in 2020 and ranks well compared to OECD countries. Women’s share among professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) has also increased over the decade, from 41.1% to 45.6%. We are observing more of them joining growth sectors such as the information and communications, financial services, and health and social services. Altogether, women make up 52.8% in these three sectors. The share of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) jobs, while lower, has also increased from 29.9% in 2015 to 32.4% in 2020.

2. In 2019, MOM conducted a joint study on Singapore’s Adjusted Gender Pay Gap with Associate Professor Jessica Pan from the National University of Singapore, and the study found that differences in gender ratios across occupations could be due to gender differences in terms of personality and psychological traits, skills, different value placed on workplace flexibility, as well as social norms.

3. We will continue to work with tripartite partners and community stakeholders to support women’s participation in the workforce and help them enter and remain in occupations of their choice, including in emerging industries.