As countries around the world increasingly embrace sustainability, many companies have begun to adopt green manufacturing practices. Singapore has also developed the Singapore Green Plan 2030 to galvanise a whole-of-nation movement on sustainable development. The National Trades Union Congress’s (NTUC) Electronics, Marine and Engineering (EME) Cluster of unions are stepping up efforts to help companies to kickstart their green journey.
Taking an ecosystem approach to leverage the expertise of various companies in advancing green and sustainable manufacturing, a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between NTUC’s EME Cluster, Trampolene, the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES), and HP Singapore. This collaboration aims to bolster the adoption of sustainable business practices and green upskilling initiatives, equipping workers with the necessary skills to uplift the EME sector.
Building an Ecosystem to Strengthen the EME Sector
As outlined in the MOU, the partners will collaborate to:
The MOU with Trampolene1 marks NTUC’s second social partnership aimed at supporting tertiary educated Persons with Special Needs (PSNs) such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Dyslexia, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), through meaningful job placement. Leveraging NTUC’s network, this initiative will facilitate the placement of engineering graduates with special needs from Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) into companies affiliated with NTUC’s EME cluster of unions2. This will encourage workplaces to be welcoming for people of diverse backgrounds and offer programmes that support their needs.
As a partner of NTUC U PME, the Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) will drive training efforts for Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) through the IES Chartership Certification Scheme and Chartered Engineers in Sustainability. Starting with the manufacturing sector, IES will further collaborate with the NTUC ecosystem to develop targeted initiatives that support engineers across various industries. There are over 360,000 workers in the manufacturing sector[3], with about 68 per cent of these being PME roles in Singapore4.
The MOU-signing ceremony took place during the NTUC EME Cluster Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Dialogue held at Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability on Monday, 23 September 2024.
The MOU was signed by NTUC EME Cluster Supervising Lead Teo Siew Pan; IES Deputy Chairman of Chartered Engineering Board, Lew Yii Der; Trampolene CEO Francis Tan; and HP Inc Senior Director of Manufacturing Operations and Strategy Teng Ling Foong. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Guest-of-Honour NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Tan; NTUC EME Cluster Chair and Co-chairs Tan Richard, Lim Teck Chuan, and Eileen Yeo; NTUC Director of U PME Bernard Menon; and Trampolene Board Member, Belinda Bay.
NTUC CTC and CTC Grant: Delivering Results for Workers and Companies
As companies transition to sustainable manufacturing, workers in manufacturing roles in Singapore5 will require upskilling in topics on ESG and Greenhouse Gas Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. The NTUC Company Training Committee (CTC) and CTC Grant project provides a pathway for workforce training and business transformation in this area.
Under the MOU, NTUC EME Cluster will partner with Trampolene and IES in promoting CTCs to companies within the sector, fostering business transformation in sustainable manufacturing. As of August 2024, more than 200 CTCs have been formed by NTUC EME Cluster, with 41 companies tapping on the CTC Grant. In total, this has benefitted more than 900 local workers.
One company, Tritan AMS Pte Ltd, is making strides in reducing its carbon footprint by leveraging the NTUC CTC Grant. The unionised company, under the NTUC’s affiliated union, Advanced Manufacturing Employees Union (AMEU), upgraded its machineries with a condition and energy monitoring technology system. This enhancement has improved the company’s production capacity by 12 per cent and its ability to maintain optimal upcycle time through condition and energy monitoring. As a result of the CTC Grant project, the company has committed to provide 24 workers with a five per cent wage increase above their annual increment. This example is one of many CTC Grant projects supported by the NTUC EME Cluster of unions where industry partners have initiated similar automation and digitalisation initiatives, that led to positive outcomes for workers.
Besides the support available through NTUC CTC, Tritan AMS leveraged NTUC’s Training and Placement Ecosystem to enhance business productivity. In partnership with AMEU and Bosch Rexroth, Tritan AMS went on to develop a Proof of Concept (POC) to explore 3D printing solutions, which helped to reduce print rejects and wastage, contributing to the reduction of its carbon footprint.
NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Tan said, “I am encouraged to see companies coming together to leverage one another’s strengths to create better outcomes for our workers and businesses. Through NTUC’s Company Training Committee initiative, over 900 workers in the NTUC EME Cluster alone have benefited with better wages or career development following business transformations. I hope that more companies will partner with NTUC to establish a network of support which results in positive business and workforce transformation.”
By fostering innovation and transformation through the NTUC CTC and CTC Grant, and prioritising workers’ upskilling, these efforts will reshape and transform the manufacturing landscape, paving the way for a greener and more sustainable future for companies and enhancing job opportunities for workers.
1 Trampolene is a non-profit social innovation enterprise that promotes independent and dignified living.
2The NTUC Electronics, Marine and Engineering (EME) Cluster of unions includes eight representative unions: Advanced Manufacturing Employees Union (AMEU), United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI), Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Employees' Union (SMEEU), ST Engineering Staff Union (STESU), NatSteel Employees' Union (NEU), Keppel Employees Union (KEU), Keppel FELS Employees’ Union (KFEU), and The Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers’ Union (SMMWU).
3 Workers in Manufacturing By Industry, Dated as of 04 March 2024 https://tablebuilder.singstat.gov.sg/table/TS/M354871
5 Job roles include Product Designers, Research & Development Managers and Engineers, Supply Chain Managers and Executives, Manufacturing Managers and Engineers, Workplace, Environment, Safety and Health (WESH) Managers, Facility Managers and Maintenance Technicians, Data Scientists and Engineers, as well as Sales Managers.
