The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Singapore Computer Society (SCS) are in partnership to reach out to the 100,000 Information Technology (IT) professionals in Singapore. Together, the two organisations will tap on each other’s expertise and networks to better serve the needs of this specific group of professionals.
NTUC – SCS U Associate Partnership Agreement
As a first step to achieve this goal, NTUC has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with SCS to bring on board 8,000 potential SCS members. SCS is the 10th association that joins the NTUC’s U Associate Programme, which is a strategic effort of the Labour Movement to reach out and serve more professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) through existing associations. Together with the 15,000 IT professionals who are currently NTUC members, the partnership will bring the Labour Movement closer to its goal of representing one in four PMEs.
The agreement was signed between Mr Chak Kong Soon, President of the SCS, and Mr Vivek Kumar, Secretary of the NTUC Membership Council, and witnessed by Mr Patrick Tay, NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and Director of its PME Unit. SCS members will now be able to enjoy the 4Ps – Protection, Placement, Progression and Privileges – offered by NTUC, as well as customised programmes tailored to the needs and interests of the IT community.
Protection
The NTUC PME Unit will hold tailored legal workshops on a regular basis to educate SCS members on their employment rights, and provide legal advisory to those in doubt. Also known as Legal Primers, these sessions will focus on customised topics that are relevant to the IT industry, such as Intellectual Property.
Progression
NTUC will work with SCS to draw up professional upgrading programmes to prepare SCS members for the ever-changing IT landscape, which requires constant upgrading of technical knowledge and skills. These include tailored upgrading programmes crafted for IT professionals, such as the Future Leaders Series for IT Professionals, which will come under the umbrella of the Future Leaders’ Programme (FLP). The programme is expected to commence in the second quarter next year.
Recognising the importance of keeping up with technological advancements, Mr Chak Kong Soon, President of the SCS, believes the collaboration will create new opportunities for IT professionals in Singapore.
“We are delighted with this collaboration, where we are able to reach out to a diverse IT community and provide added value to SCS members. This creates an opportunity for members to meet like-minded counterparts, and share their knowledge and experiences with one another. Through this partnership, we hope to increase the level of professionalism and enhance our infocomm workforce,” said Mr Chak.
Placement
NTUC members who are in the IT industry will also be able to gain access to InfoPier - an online registry for IT professionals managed by SCS. The registry provides privileged access to a library of resources specific to the IT industry, such as latest updates on trends, training and development courses, and incentives to chart one’s professional development.
Plans are also in the pipeline to develop a strategic programme to “re-train” and place mature IT professionals who are looking to re-enter the industry. The programme will help them identify their strengths and showcase their valuable experiences and expertise to potential employers to help them gain employment.
Privileges
Last but not least, both NTUC and SCS members can enjoy privileges and more savings from both organisations, with NTUC’s Social Enterprises and hundreds of merchant partners ranging from food and beverages to travel and lifestyle. SCS members will also enjoy preferential prices to the annual Future Leaders’ Summit and invitations to fireside chats with C-suite leaders under the FLP.
Forward Looking
Besides reaching out to the current pool of IT professionals, NTUC and SCS are also looking at attracting more talents to join the IT industry. NTUC’s junior membership arm, nEbO, and the SCS Student Chapter are collaborating to strengthen outreach to IT students through a series of dialogue sessions and career talks to get up close and personal with industry leaders.
“SCS and the Labour Movement currently reach out to over 20 percent of IT professionals in Singapore. By working closely with SCS, we will roll-out various initiatives targeted at supporting our IT professionals at their different life and career stages. Together, we aim to equip IT professionals with the necessary skillset to be ready to face the future challenges in the industry, so they can excel in their career progression,” said Mr Vivek Kumar, Secretary of the NTUC Membership Council.
U Associate Servant Leadership Seminar
The MOU signing took place at the U Associate Servant Leadership Seminar, where current and potential U Associate partners were invited to network and learn about how Servant Leadership will help them better lead their associations.
More than 100 leaders from key industry associations and NTUC’s 10 U Associates attended the seminar, as well as a panel discussion supported by U Associate leaders such as Mr Jeffhrey Foo, President of Institute of Estate Agents, Singapore, Er Chong Kee Sen, President of The Institution of Engineers, Singapore, Mr Erman Tan, President of Singapore Human Resources Institute and Mr Patrick Cheo, CEO of Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group Pte Ltd.
During the seminar, Dr Low Guat Tin, Adjunct Facilitator, Greenleaf Centre for Servant-Leadership (Asia Limited) also shared her insights on servant leadership and related the concept to real-life practices.
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