MOU TO HELP OUR WORKFORCE
In preparing today’s workforce to be future ready, the National Trades Union Congress’ (NTUC) e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today with SIM University (UniSIM) for a period of three years to collaborate, develop and carry out new initiatives to deepen their competencies. The MOU signifies e2i and UniSIM’s collective commitment to develop our workforce to their fullest potential.
More than 2,000 Professional, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) are set to benefit from UniSIM’s modular courses, which are aligned to the industries’ needs in areas like Supply Chain Management and Data Analytics etc.
The Labour Movement is doing this as it recognises the need to help workers of today continuously build up their skills to meet the dynamic demands of the labour market in a competitive global economy. For Singapore’s economy to be competitive, workers need to undergo constant upskilling to deepen their competencies and employers, too, need to be equipped with relevant know-hows to tread future work trends. As a labour movement, it is imperative to prepare today’s workers with future ready skills and our employers, especially SMEs, to be forward looking so that they can adapt quickly in response to industries’ needs.
Mr Gilbert Tan, Chief Executive Officer of e2i said, “e2i has been working closely with Institutes of Higher Learning and through our partnerships with them, we hope to equip local PMETs with knowledge and deepen their competencies. With continual skills upgrading, they can be better prepared to meet the fast-changing needs of the labour market and enhance their employability and career progression. We hope more individuals will benefit from e2i’s extensive industry networks to gain more industry insights and build up their competencies as well.”
MOU TO HELP OUR SMES
To help and prepare SMEs, another MOU was signed today between NTUC’s U SME and the School of Business, Singapore Institute Management (SIM) University to collaborate on the development of training programmes for SME bosses. The partnership with UniSIM and U SME would see over 850 local SMEs bosses benefit from carefully curated leadership and business development programmes organised by NTUC, and acquire knowledge of best practices to be implemented at the workplace. The Executive Development Programme, supported by e2i, is one such example where participants can gain relevant know-hows to improve productivity and prepare their businesses for the future.
The Mandarin Executive Development Programme is specially tailored to provide SME bosses with a relevant knowledge bank to sustain business growth and stay ahead of their competition. The responses for this programme has been positive with 31 SME bosses coming on board so far. They are from various sectors, ranging from those in the renovation business to the Food and Beverage and retail industries. Each SME boss would undergo 12 modules, including courses like ‘Finance and Science’ and ‘Opportunities and Challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’. Two of these courses are on employment-related matters conducted by Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute (OTCi). The English version of the programme will be rolled out in 2017.
NTUC has always been a champion for lifelong learning and this is reflected in the diverse ages – from early 30s to late 50s, of the SME bosses that have signed up for the programme.
Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Assistant Secretary-General of NTUC who oversees U SME said that, "With the strategic partnership with UniSIM, School of Business and the inaugural launch of U SME-UniSIM Executive Development Programme for SME Leaders, we hope to provide SME bosses with platform to learn and share good business practices and identify opportunities in the future economy. As our SME partners grow their business, the workers under their care will also benefit."
The MOU signing ceremonies were held at UniSim and were graced by NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Heng Chee How and, attended by 50 invitees from UniSim, e2i and U SME.
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