Skills-First: Are We There Yet?

Paper 1: Skills-First: Are We There Yet?

Abstract

The first paper, "Skills-First: Are we there yet?” investigates the structural inefficiencies that hinder systemic change towards a skills-first economy and attempts to identify the critical questions that the key stakeholders, i.e. individuals, employers, policymakers, need to examine closely. The paper calls for deeper reflection and joint action to enable skills to function not as a peripheral consideration, but as a central organising principle for inclusive and responsive labour markets.

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Authors

Gog Soon Joo (Dr)

Chief Skills Officer, Skillsfuture Singapore Fellow, Institute for Adult Learning

Dr Gog Soon Joo is a Fellow at the Singapore University of Social Sciences-Institute for Adult Learning, where she leads the Skills-First projects. Her research interests include skills ecosystem, skills policy, and workforce development. She is a highly sought after thought leader in skills development and lifelong learning.

Johnny Sung (Prof)

Honorary Fellow, Centre for Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance, Department of Education, University of Oxford

Professor Sung currently serves as a thematic expert on skills policy, supporting the European Commission’s Council Recommendation on implementing Individual Learning Accounts across member states. He is an Honorary Fellow at the Centre for Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance at the University of Oxford, and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Singapore University for Social Sciences-Institute for Adult Learning. He also conducts collaborative research with the ILO and OECD.

Matt Sigelman (Mr)

President, Burning Glass Institute

Matt Sigelman is President of the Burning Glass Institute, a Fellow at the Stanford Center on Longevity, and Senior Advisor at the Harvard Project on the Workforce. Named by Forbes to its Future of Work 50, Matt has dedicated his career to unlocking new avenues for mobility, opportunity, and equity through skills.

Roundtable Information

Roundtable Title	Date	Time	Registration
Roundtable #1- Skills-First: Are we there yet?	5 June 2025 Thursday	7.00pm to 9.00pm (SGT)	Click here to register Closing date to register: 9 May 2025

Roundtable Title

Date

Time

Registration

Roundtable #1-
Skills-First: Are we there yet?

5 June 2025

Thursday

7.00pm to 9.00pm
(SGT)

Image of a QR code to register for Roundtable 1

Click here to register
Closing date to register: 9 May 2025

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