Of GovTech’s 93 retrenched staff, 42% are in their 40s: Jasmin Lau

In July, the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) announced a restructuring exercise affecting 7% to 9% of its workforce, comprising 305 officers. Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Jasmin Lau revealed that among the 93 workers retrenched, 42% were aged between 40 and 49 years. Another 30% of the retrenched staff were aged above 50.

The remaining 28% comprised officers aged under 40 and those who were retained, redeployed, or underwent structured job conversion and apprenticeship pathways.

According to Lau, there was no significant difference in tenure between the retrenched officers and those undergoing retraining. Out of the retrenched officers, two-thirds were individual contributors, while one-third held team leadership positions. GovTech's restructuring aims to shift focus from managing projects by vendors to owning and running products in-house.

The agency acknowledged the rapid pace of technological change and the need to keep up, as falling behind could negatively impact the quality of digital products and services for citizens.

To support affected officers, GovTech collaborated with the Public Service Division, the Skills and Workforce Development Agency, and NTUC's e2i to identify more than 300 job opportunities relevant to their competencies. They will also receive financial and transition support, career guidance, and active job-placement assistance.

In addition, GovTech emphasized its commitment to supporting the wider tech workforce within the public service through initiatives like the TechSkills Accelerator, a training program for mid-career workers to pivot to tech roles and stay relevant in the evolving digital landscape.