By Muneerah Bee Mohamed Iqbal
The groundbreaking ceremony of the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability on 7 October 2011 saw five Guests-of-Honour who embody the five different groups of workers the Labour Movement serves - Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs), Low Wage Workers, Back-to-Work Women, Mature Workers and Youths.
Located in the Jurong Lake District and slated to open by the end of 2013, NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) has been appointed to manage this National Continuing Education and Training (CET) Campus West.
The seven-storey institute will be a place for workers to upgrade their skills, employers to fulfil their manpower needs and training providers to synergise to deliver training. NTUC’s Worker Centric Departments will also be housed here to offer holistic solutions and service to all workers. The campus can train up to 50,000 workers annually to develop sectorial skills such as digital animation, media, early childhood care and education, healthcare, human resource, landscape and Workplace Safety & Health, as well as generic skills such as employability skills, service excellence, generic manufacturing and productivity.
An animator with Tiny Island Production Private Limited, Muhammad Shafiq Bin Mohd Tahir, 25, hopes the campus will offer more courses related to his industry. He sees upgrading as an opportunity to improve his skills and prospects. He explained: “It’s a competitive industry even though it’s new and right now there are more people who are interested in it. I think if you don’t upgrade, you’re going to get left behind, so it’s very important to get upgraded.”
Besides training services, workers can have easy access to career services and career consultants will advise adult learners on jobs and career pathways, as well as match them to employers who are hiring. Employers can also work with the Career Services Centre to identify relevant training for their employees and recruit job ready candidates.
The Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability is named after a founding member of NTUC and former President of Singapore, the late Mr C V Devan Nair, who was also NTUC Secretary-General from 1963 to 1965 and from 1970 to 1979. Mr Devan Nair’s son Janadas Devan was present at the ceremony, alongside NTUC President John De Payva, NTUC Secretary-General Lim Swee Say, Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) Chief Executive Wong Hong Kuan and 200 guests comprising of union leaders, workers, training providers, tripartite partners and staff.
Upon completion, the campus will serve as a gateway to the larger National CET system
which currently comprise of 50 CET centres and 500 Approved Training Organisations (ATO).
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"Throughout our journey, we will encounter numerous obstacles and challenges, but with strong desire and passion we will overcome them nonetheless. NTUC’s e2i and Worker Centric Departments, we are honoured to be housed in this institute named after Mr Devan Nair… We will emulate Mr Devan Nair’s spirit and the many other brothers and sisters who led the NTUC throughout its history, as we do our part for workers of Singapore.”
NTUC Deputy Secretary-General and NTUC’s e2i Chairman Ong Ye Kung
