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The Labour Movement’s Electronics & Precision & Machinery Engineering (EPME) Cluster and the National Trades Union Congress’ (NTUC) e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) are working with relevant partners to support the development of the manufacturing industry and equip our working people with the right skill sets for the jobs of tomorrow. As part of collective efforts to address the challenges brought about by Industry 4.0, an EPME month was launched today at the United Workers of Electronics & Electrical Industries’ (UWEEI) Dinner and Dance. The slew of activities in the EPME month will impact about 1,000 professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
Despite being one of the major pillars of growth of Singapore’s economy, the manufacturing industry is not spared from the pressures of disruption and digitalisation. While some companies have been forced to shift their lower-value manufacturing overseas, there are still opportunities for manufacturing in Singapore to grow and advance. Working people from the industry will need to deepen their technical skills to work with the latest technology and pick up soft skills for cross-industry partnerships. Themed “A Journey Towards Industry 4.0”, the EPME month aims to close the skills gaps and encourage companies to move towards Industry 4.0.
Kickstarting the month-long activities for the industry, the EPME Cluster, e2i, Singapore Polytechnic (SP), Temasek Polytechnic (TP), Murata Electronics Singapore (Pte) Ltd, Panasonic Appliances Refrigeration Devices Singapore and Skyworks Global Pte Ltd signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the launch event to signify the commitment from all parties to upskill and prepare our manufacturing workforce for Industry 4.0. The MOU signing was witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also the Chairman of UWEEI Council of Advisors; Speaker of Parliament Madam Halimah Yacob, who is also a member of UWEEI Council of Advisors; and Mr Fahmi Abu Bakar, President of UWEEI.
The activities planned throughout the month will prepare both the industry and the workforce for the future of manufacturing. Some of the key activities include:
a. EPME Career Fair
Organised by e2i, ITE College Central, Metal Industries Workers' Union and UWEEI, there will be a one-day EPME Career Fair at ITE College Central on 25 August 2017 involving some 17 companies from the EPME Cluster. There will be close to 400 PMET positions available for jobseekers and students, as well as internship opportunities for students.
b. EPME-related training courses
In addition to their core technical skill sets, working people in the manufacturing industry need to upskill themselves in areas of digital literacy and robotics. To encourage more working people as well as companies to send their workers for training, the EPME Cluster and e2i have co-curated a list of over 30 Industry 4.0 Technology and Professional Development courses relevant to the workers. They will work with training providers and institutes of higher learning such as Electronics Industries Training Centre, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, SP and TP to equip our manufacturing workforce with future-ready skills.
c. Industry 4.0 Seminar
As the closing event for EPME month, an Industry 4.0 Seminar will be held at Singapore Polytechnic’s Professional & Adult Continuing Education Academy on 7 September 2017. Targeted at management partners from the manufacturing industry, there will be open sharings and dialogues among companies, Government agencies, training partners and other related organisations. It serves as a platform for companies to raise concerns, provide feedback and better understand the overall direction for Singapore’s manufacturing industry at the national level. After the seminar, there will be a series of engagement sessions between unions, management and the Government to better chart the growth journey of Industry 4.0 in Singapore.
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