Singapore to host new ASEAN office to exchange jobs data, better track labour market shifts

AI-related changes, platform work and green jobs are some key areas the ASEAN Labour Statistics Office will study.

Office workers walk out from the OCBC Tower in the Central Business District, Oct 19, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)

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SINGAPORE: Singapore will host a new office for labour statistics collaboration under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in a bid to strengthen regional exchanges of jobs and skills data.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced the ASEAN Labour Statistics Office on Tuesday (Oct 27) as it launched the ASEAN Labour Statisticians Network.

The partnership, proposed by Singapore, will allow ASEAN member states to develop ways to identify labour market shifts earlier and respond more effectively, said Mr Stanley Loh, permanent secretary for manpower.

“The world of work is changing quickly, and we need better ways to understand what those changes mean for employment, skills and workers. No country can build that understanding alone,” he said.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less The network will support ASEAN member states to better anticipate the labour market impact of artificial intelligence (AI), the green transition, and digital and platform work, said MOM. Singapore, which is preparing to take on the ASEAN chairmanship in 2027, will serve as the network's convenor until 2030. The ASEAN Labour Statistics Office in Singapore will coordinate programmes and advance work agreed on by ASEAN member states. It will be accompanied by the launch of an ASEAN Labour Market Knowledge Portal where member states can share research, methodologies and experiences to support evidence-based policymaking. Mr San Lwin, deputy secretary-general for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, said these efforts would contribute to more resilient labour markets, more competitive businesses, and better outcomes for workers across the region.

The network will support ASEAN member states to better anticipate the labour market impact of artificial intelligence (AI), the green transition, and digital and platform work, said MOM.

Singapore, which is preparing to take on the ASEAN chairmanship in 2027, will serve as the network's convenor until 2030.

The ASEAN Labour Statistics Office in Singapore will coordinate programmes and advance work agreed on by ASEAN member states.

It will be accompanied by the launch of an ASEAN Labour Market Knowledge Portal where member states can share research, methodologies and experiences to support evidence-based policymaking.

Mr San Lwin, deputy secretary-general for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, said these efforts would contribute to more resilient labour markets, more competitive businesses, and better outcomes for workers across the region.

AI AND PLATFORM WORK

Speaking at the network’s inaugural expert forum, Mr Loh noted that Singapore’s studies of platform work informed the development of stronger protections in the Platform Workers Act .

He said MOM is now applying the same focus to study AI and what the technology means for jobs.

MOM highlighted AI and platform work as areas where the ASEAN Labour Statisticians Network can help countries to better understand how work is changing and support workers.

“As AI changes everyday tasks, workers may need new skills and employers may need to redesign jobs,” said the ministry.

“The growth of platform work, such as delivery and private-hire driving, also means traditional employment statistics may not fully capture how some people earn a living or the challenges they face.”

Some data-based projects are already being incubated under the network.

One project analyses online job listings to identify emerging roles, such as AI governance analysts and agentic AI engineers, that may not yet appear in existing occupational classifications.

This can help countries more quickly identify new areas where there is labour demand and new skills that employers seek, said MOM.

Another project is an “AI exposure index” that looks at how AI is changing the way tasks are performed in different jobs.

MOM also highlighted the green transition as an area where the network can improve understanding of workforce shifts.

An ASEAN Green Jobs Report launched on Tuesday provided insights into the supply and demand of green jobs, to inform how workers can be supported to take up these opportunities.

The report found that “green potential” – jobs with tasks that can be done in an environmentally sustainable fashion with the right training and equipment – reaches 22.3 per cent of total employment across ASEAN.

But less than 6 per cent of this is currently realised as “green employment”. The report recommended that “green potential” be used to guide workforce and skills planning.

The report also cited a 2023 study that estimated the number of renewable energy sector jobs in Singapore by 2050 to be between 5,400 and 127,300, depending on different policy scenarios.

Yet, the report said that structural issues in the region remain, particularly in skills mismatches, the transition out of fossil fuels, the male-dominated nature of the renewable energy sector and job quality in the bio-energy sector.

Governments should consider workforce planning measures to support renewable energy development, the report recommended.

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人工智能相关变革、平台工作和绿色就业是东盟劳工统计局将重点研究的领域。

2026年10月19日，上班族们从中央商务区的华侨银行大厦走出。（图片：CNA/Wallace Woon）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：新加坡将在东南亚国家联盟（东盟）框架下设立一个新的劳动力统计合作办公室，以加强区域就业和技能数据的交流。

人力部（MOM）于周二（10月27日）宣布成立东盟劳工统计局，同时启动了东盟劳工统计员网络。

新加坡提出的这项合作将使东盟成员国能够更早地发现劳动力市场的变化并做出更有效的应对，人力部常任秘书罗志强先生表示。

他说：“工作环境正在快速变化，我们需要更好地了解这些变化对就业、技能和劳动者意味着什么。没有哪个国家能够独自建立起这种理解。”

CNA游戏猜词游戏：逐行破解单词；流行词游戏：用给定的字母组成单词；迷你数独：小巧的谜题，强大的脑力挑战；迷你填字游戏：小方格，大挑战；单词搜索：尽可能多地找出单词。显示更多 显示更少 新加坡人力部表示，该网络将支持东盟成员国更好地预测人工智能（AI）、绿色转型以及数字化和平台工作对劳动力市场的影响。新加坡将于2027年担任东盟轮值主席国，并将担任该网络的召集人直至2030年。位于新加坡的东盟劳工统计局将协调各项计划，并推进东盟成员国商定的工作。同时，还将推出东盟劳动力市场知识门户网站，成员国可以在该门户网站上分享研究成果、方法和经验，以支持循证决策。东盟社会文化共同体副秘书长桑·卢温先生表示，这些努力将有助于增强劳动力市场的韧性，提升企业的竞争力，并为整个地区的劳动者带来更好的结果。

人力部表示，该网络将支持东盟成员国更好地预测人工智能 (AI)、绿色转型以及数字化和平台工作对劳动力市场的影响。

新加坡将于 2027 年担任东盟轮值主席国，并将担任该网络的召集国直至 2030 年。

位于新加坡的东盟劳工统计局将协调东盟成员国商定的各项计划并推进相关工作。

与此同时，东盟劳动力市场知识门户网站也将上线，成员国可以在该门户网站上分享研究成果、方法和经验，以支持循证决策。

东盟社会文化共同体副秘书长桑·卢温先生表示，这些努力将有助于增强劳动力市场的韧性，提高企业的竞争力，并为整个地区的劳动者带来更好的结果。

人工智能与平台工作

在该网络的首届专家论坛上，罗先生指出，新加坡对平台工作的研究为《平台工作者法》中更强有力的保护措施的制定提供了依据。

他表示，人力部目前正将同样的重点放在研究人工智能及其对就业的影响上。

人力部强调，在人工智能和平台工作领域，东盟劳工统计员网络可以帮助各国更好地了解工作的变化，并为劳动者提供支持。

该部表示：“随着人工智能改变日常工作，劳动者可能需要新的技能，雇主可能需要重新设计工作岗位。”

“平台工作（例如送餐和网约车司机）的增长也意味着传统的就业统计数据可能无法完全反映一些人的谋生方式或他们面临的挑战。”

该网络下已经孵化了一些基于数据的项目。

一个项目分析在线招聘信息，以识别新兴角色，例如人工智能治理分析师和智能人工智能工程师，这些角色可能尚未出现在现有的职业分类中。

人力部表示，这可以帮助各国更快地发现劳动力需求的新领域以及雇主所需的新技能。

另一个项目是“人工智能暴露指数”，它研究人工智能如何改变不同工作中任务的执行方式。

人力部还强调，绿色转型是该网络可以提高对劳动力变化理解的一个领域。

周二发布的《东盟绿色就业报告》深入分析了绿色就业的供需情况，旨在为如何支持劳动者抓住这些机会提供信息。

报告发现，“绿色潜力”——即通过适当的培训和设备，以环境可持续的方式完成的工作——占东盟总就业人数的 22.3%。

但目前只有不到6%的绿色就业岗位得以实现。该报告建议，应利用“绿色潜力”来指导劳动力和技能规划。

该报告还引用了 2023 年的一项研究，该研究估计，到 2050 年，新加坡可再生能源行业的就业岗位数量将在 5400 至 127300 个之间，具体取决于不同的政策情景。

然而，该报告指出，该地区仍然存在结构性问题，特别是技能错配、化石燃料的转型、可再生能源行业男性主导的性质以及生物能源行业的就业质量。

报告建议，各国政府应考虑采取劳动力规划措施来支持可再生能源发展。

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