Opening Remarks at Tripartite Collective Dialogue 2025

Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay

Sister Thanaletchimi, President, NTUC
Brother Chee Meng, Secretary General, NTUC
Brother Hee Teck, President, SNEF
Brother Stephen, Advisor, Tripartite Collective

Tripartite sisters and brothers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Introduction

Welcome to today’s Tripartite Collective dialogue. As we celebrate SG60, the theme of today’s session – ‘Tripartism in Action: Upskilling and Reskilling Singapore over the years’ – is particularly relevant.   Today is not just about looking back. It is asking ourselves how tripartism can further power our transformation in a world of constant change. 

Our Workforce Transformation Journey 

2. Workforce transformation has always been central to Singapore’s growth. It helped businesses grow and innovate, creating good jobs, with successful and meaningful careers for our workers. 

3. Our skills development journey over the last few decades has not been easy. In 1961, we had high unemployment of close to 10%, limited resources and a largely unskilled workforce. Today, we are a highly competitive global economy with a skilled workforce. In the 2025 International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Ranking, Singapore was ranked the second most competitive economy, just behind Switzerland.

4. This transformation did not happen by chance. Three factors shaped our success. 

a. First, we have always recognised that people are our only resource. This recognition shaped our education system and  our workforce development strategies. 

b. Second, we established institutions to support our evolving needs – from the National Wages Council (NWC) in 1972 to today’s SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG). 

c. Third, and most crucially, we forged a strong tripartite partnership. Where other countries saw adversarial relationships between government, employers and workers, the tripartite partners collectively built a model of trust and cooperation that became our sustainable competitive advantage. 

i. Whether it was the setting up of Skills Development Fund (SDF) in 1979, the launch of SkillsFuture movement in 2015 or the launch of Company Training Committees (CTCs) in 2019 – every major step was a tripartite achievement. 

5. This partnership enabled us to move decisively when others hesitated, adapt quickly when others struggled, and maintain social cohesion when others faced division. It has transformed challenges into opportunities. 

New Challenges 

6. The challenges we face today are of a very different nature. In the past, skills gaps were largely predictable, and solutions could be rolled out in structured programmes over time. However, technology cycles are accelerating, causing skills obsolescence to happen faster than ever before. Workers who once needed to undergo training every decade or so now need continuous upskilling or reskilling to remain relevant. 

7. At the same time, global economic fragmentation is reshaping trade, supply chains and disrupting markets. Demographic shifts are also changing the very nature of industries. 

8. Against the backdrop of so much uncertainty, it is clear that we have to think outside the box, reimagine and co-create our approach. We need to shift from the mindset of being reactive, with episodic intervention to one of continuous transformation and transition. 

a. That is why we introduced Career Health SG. We want to move from specific training to building lifelong career resilience through regular career check-ups, personalised coaching and skills as well as  jobs recommendations. 

b. The Enterprise Workforce Transformation Package (EWTP) announced during the Budget this year, complements this by working with companies to support their workforce transformation journey rather than just upgrading individual capabilities. 

Looking Ahead

9. In this new reality, our tripartite model must go beyond  preserving harmony. It must power agility. 

10. As you engage in today’s case study and panel discussions, I encourage you to explore how our tripartite model can evolve, and proactively anticipate disruption rather than just respond to it. And think about how we can foster collaboration that moves at the speed of change and not the tempo of past traditional planning cycles.

11. The questions before us are not just about what policies and programmes to create, but how to create them faster, more responsively and effectively. We can front run the disruptions and thrive. 

12. For the last 60 years, our tripartite partnership has built stability and progress for Singapore. Now, it has to go beyond preservation and empower our agility to help us navigate an era where change is a  rapidly accelerating constant. 

Conclusion

13. Before I end, I would like to thank 
a. our tripartite partners NTUC and SNEF, and the Tripartite Collective for putting this important event together; 
b. our sponsor, Temasek Foundation; 
c. Associate Professor Terence Ho and his team for his work on the case study, 
d. and all of you here for your commitment to strengthening Singapore’s tripartite partnership.