Appointment of Mr Tan Pheng Hock as Chairman, Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) Board

Mr Tan Pheng Hock, currently the Deputy Chairman of the WDA Board, will succeed Ms Yong Ying-I as Chairman of the Board from 1 September 2007.

2.   Mr Tan Pheng Hock has been a member of the Board since 1 September 2005, and was appointed as the Deputy Chairman on 1 October 2006. He is currently the President and CEO of ST Engineering Limited. As a successful CEO with a strong passion for skills upgrading and training, Mr Tan Pheng Hock is well placed to lead WDA in the next phase of its development.

Appreciation for Ms Yong Ying-I's Contributions

3.   Ms Yong Ying-I, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, will step down as Chairman of the Board when her term expires on 31 August 2007.

4.   The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) would like to place on record its deep appreciation for the outstanding contributions Ms Yong has made to the WDA Board as its founding chairman. WDA was established in 2003 when economic growth was weak and there was high unemployment. Ms Yong quickly assembled the management team, and set up structures and systems for WDA to tackle unemployment and help Singaporeans find jobs. Under her able leadership, WDA has made significant progress in developing a robust Continuing Education and Training (CET) infrastructure for workers to upgrade their skills and transit into growth industries. This included the Employability Skills System, the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) system, as well as the establishment of quality institutions to deliver WDA's training programmes. Through these programs and working with its partners, WDA was able to help many Singaporeans find new jobs.

Ms Jennie Chua appointed as the Deputy Chairman

5.   Ms Jennie Chua will be appointed as the Deputy Chairman from 1 September 2007. She has served on the Board since WDA's inception. With her extensive industry experience, she will be able to guide WDA in its local workforce development efforts.