KPMG, the National Youth Council (NYC), and the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore (IPRS) have shared findings from a survey gathered from 1,000 youth respondents on their awareness and attitudes towards current affairs and personal growth.
The survey, conducted by Blackbox Research, found that the majority of youths are aware of and care about global economic developments. The economic uncertainty is a concern and youths said that they hoped to have greater support in career and financial planning.
Amongst key competencies needed to succeed in the workforce, youths surveyed identified communication and interpersonal skills (33 percent), adaptability and lifelong learning (32 percent), and analytical and critical thinking (31 percent) as the most valued competencies.
There is also a demand for more guidance, with 65 percent of youths indicating that they require more support for career planning. Separately, 58 percent of youths have also indicated that they need more help with financial planning.
Whole-of-Singapore effort to uplift youths and enable them to be changemakers
Half of the respondents recognised that the Government, educational institutions, employers, and the wider society and community do play important roles in supporting them.
The 3P sectors (public, private and people sectors) are helping youths realise their aspirations. The Gen2050 youth action programme by KPMG in Singapore, NYC, and IPRS is one such effort.
The programme brings together expertise and support from the 3P sectors in the areas of youth engagement, industry perspectives and mentorship to provide youths with tools, platforms, and opportunities to transform their aspirations into real-world, measurable outcomes.
The Gen2050 youth action programme is part of the SG Youth Plan engagements, a year-long series of engagements to understand youths’ aspirations and concerns. The views and insights garnered from the engagements will directly inform a 5-year action plan on youth development, created by youths, for youths.
“Youths today are discerning in their pursuit of skills — not just chasing trends, but focusing on how these skills can be practically applied to create value in their professions,” said Lee Sze Yeng, Managing Partner, KPMG.
“The NYC, KPMG, and IPRS survey highlights that the next generation is deeply aware of the need for practical, impactful skills like applying AI to achieve a multiplier effect in the workplace. This underscores the responsibility of institutions and mentors to guide and empower youths, helping them navigate the complexities of value creation and equipping them for the future of work.”
Ross Gan, President, IPRS said: “It’s encouraging to see youth prioritising communications and interpersonal skills as key competencies needed to succeed. In a post-truth world of what’s trending on social media, where artificial intelligence is redesigning how businesses create value, the capacity to communicate with clarity, demonstrate empathy and engage authentically with stakeholders for positive impact has never been more relevant.”
