Companies Gear Up to Tap on WorkPro
WorkPro ambassadors appointed to promote WorkPro
7 April 2013
- 14 companies have come onboard WorkPro, a programme by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to attract economically inactive locals, including women and mature residents to re-join the workforce. This was announced by Acting Manpower Minister Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, at the “Weaving Family and Work” event organised by the People’s Association (PA), Women’s Integration Network (WIN) and WDA today. WorkPro is designed in consultation with the tripartite partners - Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). SNEF and NTUC will manage and administer the programme for three years from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2016 (See Annex A for details on WorkPro).
- Companies can benefit from a total of $170 million in funding under WorkPro. About 70 percent of them are expected to be small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Amongst the first to come onboard WorkPro are Cerebral Pte Ltd and the Singapore Recreation Club (See Annex B for details on companies). All these companies have committed to hire locals under WorkPro, and will receive support for age management initiatives, job redesign, on-the-job training and recruitment and retention efforts.
- Acting Manpower Minister, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin said; ‘WorkPro will help employers create more progressive and work-life friendly workplaces. This will make it easier for working women to strike a balance between work and family, as well as create more flexible jobs for women who want to return to work.”
- In addition, 12 WorkPro Ambassadors have been appointed and trained by WDA to promote the programme to back-to-work locals (See Annex C for ambassadors’ details). This collaboration with the People’s Association (PA)’s Women’s Integration Network (WIN) Council and Women’s Executive Committees (WECs) aims to improve community outreach and support to encourage more women to return to work. This initiative will be piloted in the South West District, and WDA and PA target to appoint 100 ambassadors by mid-2014. The WorkPro Ambassadors will play an active role in reaching out to job seekers at the district job fairs, which will feature employers who have signed up for WorkPro and offer a range of part-time and full-time jobs. The first job fair will be held in the South West District in July 2013.
- Dr Amy Khor, Minister of State for Manpower and Health said: “Dr Amy Khor, Minister of State for Manpower and Health said: “There are over 400,000 locals aged 25 to 64 years who are economically inactive and they form a potential pool that businesses can tap on to build a core Singaporean workforce. As a key partner of the WorkPro Programme, the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network (WIN) Council and Women’s Executive Committees (WECs) will reach out to, engage and empower, women in this group, especially those in the heartlands, to return to work through their on-going programmes and district job fairs. Some WEC members will also be appointed as ambassadors as a pilot to the WorkPro Ambassadors Scheme. These Workpro Ambassadors will actively encourage women who have left the workforce to return to work by providing them with information about job opportunities as well as how they can prepare themselves to rejoin the workforce. These women could work part-time or on flexible arrangements so that they can still care for their families while helping to supplement the household income or becoming financially independent.”
- Mr Wong Hong Kuan, WDA’s Chief Executive said: “Under WorkPro, companies can look forward to incentives in recruiting, training and retaining local employees. Companies can also take advantage of the Work-Life, Age Management and Job Redesign grants to improve workplace practices and create better work-life harmony in their organisations. To this end, WDA urges more companies to tap on WorkPro so that they can become more attractive to potential job seekers and their existing employees amid this tight labour market.”
Annex A - Factsheet on WorkPro
Annex A2 - Summary of Funding Support Provided by WorkPro
Annex A3 - Factsheet on "Weaving Family and Work" Job Fair and Carnival
Annex B - Profiles of Companies on WorkPro
Annex C - Profile of WorkPro Ambassadors
About Singapore Workforce Development Agency
The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) enhances the competitiveness of our workforce by encouraging workers to learn for life and advance with skills. In today's economy, most jobs require not just knowledge, but also skills. WDA collaborates with employers, industry associations, the Union and training organisations, to develop and strengthen the Continuing Education and Training system that is skills-based, open and accessible, as a mainstream pathway for all workers - young and older, from rank and file to professionals and executives - to upgrade and advance in their careers and lives. For more information, please visit www.wda.gov.sg.