Since the pandemic, Singapore’s labour market has been modest. According to global job matching and hiring platform Indeed, job postings since June 2025 have remained at 43% above pre-pandemic baseline.
As our local economy continue to evolve, new job opportunities have been emerging in industries that aren’t always in the spotlight. Non-tech sectors are seeing more and more job opportunities in Singapore.
The same report also revealed that there is a three-time surge in jobs under sports and pharmaceutical-related roles since pre-pandemic levels. This is likely driven by an increased focus on personal health, wellness and lifestyle-driven care. Additionally, job opportunities in education, physicians and surgeons, dental, medical information and civil engineering have also gone up twofold since the pandemic.
Furthermore, Indeed’s Hiring Lab have also reported that employment is 1.5% higher than a year ago, though this growth is not evenly distributed across all sectors. Construction, and healthcare & social services accounted for 54% of all new employment in the past year. Other sectors — such as financial & insurance services, transportation & storage, administrative & support services, professional services, public administration & education, real estate, manufacturing, accommodation, and food & beverage services — also report positive employment growth.
So which sectors are showing the strongest momentum in hiring, and how can jobseekers and new entrants do to move into them? Indeed’s Senior APAC Economist, Callam Pickering, gives us the lowdown.
From Indeed’s hiring data, which non-tech sectors in Singapore are experiencing the strongest growth in job opportunities?
The fastest growing occupations in Singapore over the past year (as at 31 July) were insurance (+25.7%), civil engineering (+17.8%), medical information (+15.6%), legal (+8.3%) and logistic support (+6.4%). The number of software development roles is actually down 3.8% compared to a year ago, with data & analytic opportunities down 10.3%.
What specific job roles in these sectors are most in demand, and what core skills do employers value when hiring for them?
Some of the most prominent roles in these growth areas are compliance officer, supply chain specialist, counsel and actuary. Most roles will have occupation-specific skills that are necessary to perform the role. However, there are a range of more generalised skills that are valued highly across a wide range of occupations. The most prominent tend to be communication skills, problem-solving and time management. In more senior positions, leadership and organisation skills are highly coveted.
What transferable skills can jobseekers leverage to pivot into these growth industries, especially if they come from unrelated backgrounds?
Generalised skills such as communication, problem-solving and time management are transferable across jobs. And those that shift careers successfully will often be highly proficient in these areas, which may offset being less skilled in other areas.
How important is upskilling or reskilling in helping jobseekers tap into these opportunities, and what types of training or certifications make the most impact?
Training and re-skilling is critical in the modern Singapore job market. That’s true not just for undertaking a career change, but also to thrive in your existing job. Workers who neglect training and development risk becoming obsolete and employers who neglect the training and development needs of their staff may struggle to compete.
For fresh graduates, what practical steps can they take now to align with the needs of these emerging industries?
New graduates need to recognise that their education hasn’t finished. Learning new and valuable skills throughout their careers will be critical to ensuring they progress within an organisations or industry. A university education will give you a strong baseline as you begin your career, but developing soft skills, such as communication, will be pivotal to taking the next step.
How can job platforms like Indeed help jobseekers identify relevant growth sectors and prepare for skills-based hiring processes?
Matching platforms such as Indeed are critical in aligning what a jobseeker wants with what an employer needs. Indeed’s algorithm helps match jobseekers with suitable roles that utilise their skills and experience. Jobseekers can utilise our resume tool to ensure that they are finding the best matches on the platform and they can also utilise company pages to better understand the culture and reputation of the company or organisation they are applying for. It enables jobseekers to make better informed decisions about their career.
This article was done in collaboration with Indeed.
