By Ramesh Subbaraman
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) needing help to improve their efficiency in product testing and development can now turn to a new programme under the Lean Enterprise Development (LED) Scheme.
The Industry Development, Enhancement and Advancement Programme (IDEAS) was launched on 7 November 2016 by Minister of State (Manpower) Teo Ser Luck.
IDEAS is starting off with the food manufacturing sector which has nearly 860 establishments employing about 30,000 workers.
Developing Capabilities
Workforce Singapore said under the IDEAS initiative, SMEs will have access to high technology analysers and consultancy services to test their products.
To kickstart, Singapore Polytechnic now has the Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry developed by Agilent Technologies.
Six companies producing varieties of food products have started using the machine since 1 October 2016.
The analyser shortens the time required for product testing by six times, from 24 hours to just four hours.
Singapore Polytechnic is offering consultancy services and training on technology processes through the IDEAS programme.
U-SME Welcomes IDEAS
NTUC Assistant-Secretary General and Director of U SME Secretariat Yeo Guat Kwang welcomed the IDEAS intiative.
He said that there is a role for U SME, an NTUC initiative designed to engage and support SME business leaders and HR practitioners, in encouraging more businesses to tap on the Lean Enterprise Development Programme.
“Food manufacturing is one of the key sectors that we are actively engaging. U SME is currently a LED multiplier and during our interaction with these SMEs, we noticed that more and more companies have begun to proactively source for innovative new ideas in productivity and manpower optimisation,” said Mr Yeo.
Meanwhile, Minister Teo added that U SME can bring together SMEs who need help, do workshops in small groups and find out what kind of technology could actually help them.
The SMEs can then be linked up with the multinationals to provide the help.
For the future, Workforce Singapore said IDEAS will also be extended to other industries such as biomedical sciences, chemicals, oil and gas and environmental technology.
Source: NTUC This Week
