General Assembly (GA) has found that 95 per cent of employers in Singapore continue to face tech hiring challenges despite a broader availability of talent in the market, with the skills gap most acute in data analytics and data science roles.

The findings come from GA’s State of Tech Talent 2026 report, which this year includes a Singapore-focused snapshot for the first time, benchmarking local trends against markets in the United States and the United Kingdom. GA is part of LHH, the professional talent solutions arm of The Adecco Group.

Data and AI Skills Remain Hardest to Fill

While hiring pressures have eased slightly, 58 per cent of Singapore employers identified data analytics and data science roles as the hardest to fill — a gap that mirrors the broader AI-driven shift reshaping the labour market. The report arrives as Singapore advances its National AI Strategy 2.0 and workforce transformation efforts under SkillsFuture.

Upskilling is seen as central to closing the gap, with 69 per cent of employers saying it will have a significant impact by 2026. However, cost remains the primary barrier, cited by 58 per cent of organisations — a higher rate than in the US and UK — suggesting that scaling training programmes remains a persistent challenge for Singapore businesses.

The findings highlight a clear shift in how organisations and individuals are approaching AI skills, with growing recognition that upskilling must be a shared responsibility. In Singapore’s tech-driven economy, the ability to apply AI effectively is essential across roles, not just in technical functions.

— Sima Sadaat, Country Manager, General Assembly Singapore

Shared Responsibility for AI Readiness

The report points to a growing expectation that individuals take a proactive role in building AI literacy, even as employers step up their support. More than 80 per cent of Singapore respondents believe organisations should take at least partial responsibility for upskilling — slightly higher than in the US (48%) and the UK (41%).

Organisations are also expanding how they access talent. Nearly three-quarters of employers in Singapore are outsourcing or planning to do so, reflecting a growing reliance on flexible and cross-border workforce models. Over half report that some entry-level roles have already been automated, though the outlook is more measured than in the US and UK, suggesting greater confidence in the ability to adapt through reskilling.

The full Singapore snapshot and global report are available on the General Assembly website.