Opportunities for mid-career engineers are looking up with the recent launch of a new conversion programme for Marine and Offshore Engineers.
This was announced at National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Marine Engineering Cluster National Day Observance Ceremony held at Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd on 7 August 2013.
NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) will target PMEs (Professionals, Managers and Executives) with engineering skills to join the marine and offshore rig construction industry.
Employers will be given funding support up to $2,000 per month as training allowance for a maximum of six months and training course fees up to $9 per hour, capped at 960 hours as support.
With a budget from WDA amounting to $1.2 million, the programme will target 60 mid-career engineers mostly coming from the general manufacturing industry.
After undergoing both classroom and on-the-job training, the cluster together with its partners will engage the industry to hire the local PMEs where they can earn with starting salary of at least $3,500 to $4,000.
Guest-of-Honour and Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC Madam Halimah Yacob shared her past experiences as Executive Secretary of the United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI).
Minister Yacob shared how during the 2008 and 2009 financial crises, many affected engineers were not happy to go into jobs in the retail or hospitality sector or any other sectors because they feel that they were really losing out in the skills they had acquired for so many years.
“Those who may be affected by the slowdown, particularly those from the manufacturing sector, if they could come under this programme they could be converted, they could become engineers in this sector. There will be tremendous job opportunities for them,” said Mdm Halimah.
ST Marine President Ng Sing Chan who also spoke on the event, gave emphasis on people as a key asset to the company. He gave his assurance that the company will continue to invest in them to help them realise their full potential and encourage them to contribute their best as they strive to help the company succeed.
Original article written by Joshua Joseph, and can be found in NTUC This Week (16 August 2013)
