During the last decade, demand for labour in the major OECD countries has shifted from manufacturing to the services sectors.
Manufacturing is, overall, a net job loser.
Almost all the increases in number of jobs in the economy are in the services sectors. Unlike these OECD countries, Singapore has recorded net job gains in both the manufacturing and services sectors. This paper examines Singapore's sectoral employment trends during 1980-1994 by looking at the changes in the total workforce. It compares Singapore's labour market experience with major OECD countries. Industries in Singapore with the fastest employment growth in absolute and relative terms are identified.