The NTUC Auditorium at One Marina Boulevard will now be known as the Stephen Riady Auditorium @ NTUC.
The renaming of the auditorium was done in appreciation of Dr Stephen Riady, the executive chairman of OUE Limited, who donated $10 million to the NTUC-Education and Training Fund (NETF) through the Stephen Riady Foundation earlier this year.
Some 100 guests, including Dr Riady, NTUC President Mary Liew and NTUC Secretary-General Chan Chun Sing, were present at the ceremony to unveil the new name for the auditorium on 25 August 2017.
Support from Partners
As additional funding support to NETF, last year’s May Day saw the Government pledge to match $3 for every dollar raised by the Labour Movement, for up to $150 million.
With Dr Riady’s donation, the Labour Movement has achieved the $100 million funding mark for the NETF – $25 million raised by NTUC and $75 million from the Government.
NTUC will continue to reach out to more donors in the coming months as it works towards its target of $200 million.
The amount raised for the NETF will be used to fund course-fee subsidies aimed at helping workers upgrade and reskill.
Under the Union Training Assistance Programme supported by NETF, union members can tap on more than 3,100 continuing education courses to enjoy subsidies, capped at $250 a year. U Network members will also be subsidised for selected courses, capped at $50 per year.
“Everyone can acquire new knowledge and skills through education and continuous learning. I am pleased to support the mission of the NETF to equip the working population in Singapore with relevant skills for the future economy,” said Dr Riady.
Skills Upgrading for All
Giving his address at the ceremony, SG Chan said: “As we know, in the next lap of our economic transformation, it’s not just about transforming businesses. It is also about how workers can keep pace with the emerging demands of new business models, skillsets, and technology. We are fully committed to make sure workers are equipped with the skills not only for today’s jobs, but also those of tomorrow.”
NTUC is also deepening its collaboration with close to 170 training providers and 14 institutes of higher learning (IHLs). It will work with the IHLs to create “relevant speed-to-market training modules” to prepare workers for a fast-moving economy that requires learning to be continuous and updated.
“The Labour Movement recognises the importance of ensuring sustainable skills upgrading to meet the career aspirations of our working people. Today, the Labour Movement is partnering many stakeholders, such as the Government, companies and the IHLs to develop relevant training courses to meet the specific needs of our working people so that they can take on the jobs of tomorrow … As the economy transforms, the Labour Movement will continue to mobilise and encourage all working people to embrace continuous lifelong learning,” said NTUC in a media release.
