1 At the inaugural JRP Awards 2006 held at the DXO this evening, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong presented awards to 15 model workers and tripartite partners in eight job sectors, to recognise their outstanding efforts in helping to re-create higher value-adding and better-paying jobs for low wage workers.
Job Re-Creation Programme
2 The JRP effort is lead by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA). Together with various private and public sector organisations, they have re-created more than 7,200 jobs and placed 4,600 low-skilled and previously unemployed Singaporeans in these re-created jobs . Through JRP, they have enhanced the job worth, improved working conditions and job prospects of existing jobs to provide more meaningful careers for Singaporeans, especially the older workers and less-skilled workers.
3 Encouraged by the promising progress made by JRP, WDA and the Singapore Labour Foundation have respectively allocated an additional $40 million and $10m to further enhance the reach and scale of the JRP so as to benefit more job seekers. With this additional funding support, NTUC and WDA will widen the reach to more job sectors so as to re-create 10,000 jobs a year. Besides re-creating jobs in the salary range of $1,000 to $1,800, it will also extend coverage to higher-skilled and supervisory level jobs that pay up to $2,500 a month.
JRP AWARDS 2006
5 The achievement of the past would not be possible without the concerted efforts of all the valuable partners of JRP. The JRP Awards 2006 serves to recognise those who had contributed significantly towards the achievements of the JRP in 2005, by according the Individual Awards and Sector Awards to them.
Individual Awards
6 The 15 model workers who have won the Individual Awards are chosen from the 4,600 individuals who have taken on new job opportunities created under the JRP. These 15 awardees come from each of the 12 JRP sectors, and span a wide range of ages, races and educational qualifications.
7 Each of them tells an inspiring story of how determination and hard work help workers secure a brighter future. Some of these model workers have overcome personal hurdles and conquered fears to learn a new skill while others have shown true grit in their pursuit of a livelihood. Please see Appendices for more details on each of these workers.
JRP Sector Awards
8 The eight outstanding JRP sectors have been awarded with special recognition under the following categories:
? Top Achiever Award (Environment Sector): To recognise the sector that has re-created the largest number of jobs under the JRP.
? Sprinter Award (Landscape and Security Sectors): To recognise sectors that have made the fastest progress to reach the largest number of workers and to improve their well-being by the greatest measure.
? Value Creator Award (Public Transport-Taxi and Education Sectors): To recognise sectors that create value for customers, employers and workers by innovatively re-defining how a worker goes about his job.
? Breakthrough Award (Public Transport-Bus and Marine Sectors): To recognise sectors that manage to change a long entrenched pattern of low pay and unattractive conditions that many believed is impossible to alter.
? Strong Believer Award (Healthcare Sector): To recognise sectors that have demonstrated a wide-ranging and deep commitment from different partners (unions, government agencies, employers) to work closely together to push through difficult changes.
Please see Appendices for more details on each of these sectors.
9 All award winners have been presented with a unique trophy that carries the design of a worker climbing up a ladder, which symbolises a worker’s efforts to reach the top of his career and the progression path taken. In addition, each Individual Award winner also received a $500 NTUC FairPrice voucher.
10 About 600 unionists, employers, industry sector representatives and workers, including those from the 12 sectors, attended the JRP Awards 2006 this evening.
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About the National Trades Union Congress (www.ntuc.org.sg)
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is a national confederation of trade unions of workers in the industrial, service and public sectors representing 460,000 workers in Singapore. It has 63 trade unions and six associations affiliated to it. NTUC’s objectives are to help Singapore stay competitive and workers remain employable for life; to enhance the social status and well-being of workers; and to build a strong, responsible and caring labour movement.
About the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (www.wda.gov.sg)
The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
WDA will lead and drive workforce development in Singapore. Its mission is to enhance the employability and competitiveness of employees and jobseekers, thereby building a workforce that meets the changing needs of Singapore’s economy.
The agency works closely with industries to identify skills gaps, and develop continuing education and training programmes to address the manpower needs of the industries under the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications system (WSQ). The WSQ system places a strong focus on building competencies that are relevant to industries and will enhance employability.
WDA works with training providers in developing curriculum and building up their capabilities and training standards. It promotes its programmes to industries as well as jobseekers, and works with the unions and CDCs to help workers find jobs, and acquire the right skills for the jobs.
For more information, please visit http://www.wda.gov.sg
About the Singapore National Employers Federation (www.sgemployers.com)
The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) was established in 1980. With the support of 1,900 member companies, SNEF has become the largest employer body in Singapore today. SNEF is a trade union of employers dedicated to preserving industrial harmony and helping employers achieve excellence in employment practices, thereby enhancing productivity, competitiveness as well as the quality of their employees’ work life. SNEF is an active player in facilitating the tripartite industrial relations partnership among the Government, employers and unions.
