SINGAPORE: Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said the government will continue to work closely with its tripartite partners to upgrade the skills of older workers, and ensure that they share in and benefit from Singapore’s economic growth.

These include redesigning workplaces and introducing semi—automated equipment, making it physically less demanding for this segment of the workforce.

He said the specific schemes to help these workers will be announced later on Monday afternoon by Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam when he delivers the Budget Statement.

But Mr Gan said older and lower—wage workers will also have to ensure their own employability by upgrading their skills.

He made these points in Parliament, in response to questions from Members of Parliament (MPs) on how his ministry would ensure that older workers are not replaced for the sake of boosting productivity.

— CNA/sc