(TL;DR) 5 points for you to look smart in front of your friends.
1) Who is Patrick Tay?
• Alignment Director, PME, Director, Legal Services Department and Assistant Secretary-General at NTUC
• Executive Secretary, The Singapore Manual and Mercantile Workers’
• MP of West Coast GRC
• Married with three children
2) What makes him tick?
The future of PMEs and our Singaporean Core.
3) So what does he think about the future of PMEs and our Singaporean Core?
We need to move not just from a Manpower Led to Manpower Lean economy but a Singaporean PME Led and Foreigner PME Lean economy for our locals to fully exploit the labour market and yet be able to fully realise their potential and skills.
PMEs face three mismatches: In skills, expectations and jobs. To prevent an increase in the unemployment in PMEs and PME redundancy, as well as a dip in employment creation and subsequently a drop in the hiring of locals, Singapore has to strengthen three “C”s: The Singaporean “Core”, the “Connection” between PMEs and jobs, and the “Careers” of PMEs to ensure they are future ready.
4) What did he wear for Parliament?
8/10 – Can’t go wrong with a black jacket and white shirt. Thought it looks a littttlleee like a wedding suit – kudos to him if it is and that still fits after all these years!
5) What is his outlook for Singapore’s economy in 2016?
The economic landscape for 2016 is going to be “increasingly unstable, unpredictable and uncertain” and to remain ready, relevant and resilient:
• Workers need to re-calibrate themselves and reset our mental models
• Employers and businesses must not be content with just re-adjusting but to continuously re-innovate and restrucure.
• The government will have to re-think and how to get us to re-create.
He also urged employers (when they undergo downsizing and restructuring) to let go of Singaporean PMEs last.
(BONUS!) Bet you didn’t know this about him:
In Parliament 2016, he’s taking the seat that used to be occupied by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
Connect with Patrick Tay on Facebook here!