In a live studio interview with Channel NewAsia, SMU School of Social Sciences Dean Professor James Tang discussed the findings of the latest report (Managing Skills Challenges in ASEAN-5) published by SMU and J.P. Morgan. The report studied the skills challenges the ASEAN-5 countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines) face individually and as a group. [It highlights, in particular, issues including disruptive technology, government-industry cooperation and intra-regional labour flows that determine how quickly and effectively skill gaps are met in the coming decade.] Prof Tang shared his views on various issues such as the most pressing labour challenges that the ASEAN-5 countries face and the common threat that links all of them, as well as the roles of the private sector and the education systems within these countries in rescaling the labour force to meet the rising challenges in the digital age. He emphasised that Singapore has to focus on more innovative strategies. He also said that Singapore must be ready to train and educate our younger generation to be more resilient, adding that mid-career people have to be prepared to acquire new skills and be more flexible.