Job-specific skills top employee training priorities: survey

Around 63% of businesses cited it as a key area for skills upgrading.

Businesses identified specialised, job-specific skills as the top training priority, cited by 63% of respondents in the Singapore Business Federation's National Business Survey 2026.

Leadership and management skills ranked second at 51%, followed by analytical and problem-solving skills at 47%.

Companies also identified specialised digital skills as another focus, cited by 31% of respondents, followed by general IT skills at 29% and academic qualifications at 9%

Meanwhile, 56% of businesses said they review future workforce skills needs only when specific requirements arise.

Large companies were more likely to take a structured approach, with 18% integrating skills assessments into strategic planning, compared with 8% of SMEs, the survey said.

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