{
  "id": 16046432,
  "title": "GovTech retrenches 38 employees in second wave of layoffs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/govtech-retrenches-38-employees-in-second-wave-of-layoffs",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-22T13:16:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times",
    "slug": "straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/govtech-retrenches-38-employees-in-second-wave-of-layoffs"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) has laid off 38 employees in its second round of layoffs, as part of a three-phase reduction strategy. According to a media statement from GovTech on October 22, the 38 affected staff members primarily worked on traditional project delivery. After the workforce review, 106 officers retained their positions, while 106 others were offered conversion and apprenticeship pathways to transition into new roles, supported by the agency.\n\nThis retrenchment is GovTech's second of three rounds, with an estimated 7 to 9 percent of its workforce being affected over the next two years. The agency aims to reduce reliance on vendors and increase in-house capabilities to maintain control and agility in modern technology development. As the world becomes more digital, the need for critical government digital infrastructure has grown significantly, and legacy systems become harder to secure, modify, and maintain.\n\nChng Kai Fong, GovTech's chairman, emphasised that modern technology development demands greater control and accountability for core systems. Services like Singpass, Parents Gateway, and CDC vouchers exemplify this shift, as they require continuous building, operating, securing, and improving. Despite the layoffs, GovTech expects to employ more people in the long run, particularly in software engineering, product management, design, data science, and cybersecurity. Currently, there are around 270 open positions listed on GovTech's careers portal for those interested in joining the civil service.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "GovTech laid off 38 employees in second round of layoffs",
    "106 officers retained positions, 106 offered conversion/apprenticeships",
    "Agency aims to increase in-house capabilities for modern tech development"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Phasing out traditional project roles in favor of specialized technical talent signals a strategic pivot toward building in-house capabilities to secure and manage critical digital infrastructure.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}