Speech at National Continuing Education And Training Institute Appointment Ceremony

Mr Gan Kim Yong, Acting Minister , 33 Hyderabad Road

Mrs Kwan Lui,
Founder, At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy

Mr Teva Raj,
Director, Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology

Mr Loi Hai Poh,
CEO, Tourism Management Institute of Singapore

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

I am pleased to join you this evening for the Appointment Ceremony for the National Continuing Education and Training Institutes (NCI).

The Importance of CET

2.   The global economy continued to slow down sharply over the last few months. Weak demand in our key markets has affected our exports which fell by 34.8% in January. As recession deepens, retrenchments and unemployment are likely to rise. Singaporeans are naturally concerned about job security. However, there are reasons for us to remain confident and optimistic. Firstly, our economic fundamentals are strong and we remain competitive. The current economic crisis is a result of weakening global demand and not because we have lost our competitive edge. Therefore, when world economies recover, we will also bounce back quickly.

3.   Secondly, we have acted decisively to address the job market through various measures introduced recently, such as Jobs Credit and Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR). These schemes help to cut cost and save jobs for local workers. Up to the end of last month, a total of 43,000 workers and 700 companies have committed to the SPUR programme.

4.   Thirdly, there are still many good opportunities during the recession. More than 45,000 jobs will be created over the next two years. Yesterday, we saw 15,000 jobs being offered at the Career 2009, many of which are for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). We must keep Singapore as an attractive place for investors so that we can continue to bring in new businesses and create good jobs for Singaporeans.

5.   At the same time, we must help our workers to be more resilient, especially during a downturn. Continuing education and training, or CET, plays a critical role in this regard. Through the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience, or SPUR, we provide highly subsidized CET programmes to make our workers more employable. This will help them stay employed. or move on to new jobs if they become unemployed. It also enables businesses to upgrade the skills of their employees during the current lull, or help them acquire new skills so that they can be redeployed to other areas of work.

6.   CET is important not only during the downturn, but also in building our future so that Singapore can emerge from this recession with new skills and new capabilities to seize the emerging opportunities. CET will enhance the flexibility and mobility of our workforce and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Singapore, so that we can continue to  thrive in a fast changing global environment.

7.   In recognition of the growing importance of CET, MOM established the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to further sharpen the focus on training and upgrading. We also launched the CET Masterplan last year, which outlines comprehensively what we are doing to build up a robust national CET infrastructure.

National CET Infrastructure

8.   Since its formation, WDA has been systematically building up the key elements of this CET infrastructure. It has set up a network of Industry Skills and Training Councils to chart the manpower development plans in the various economic sectors,. Many of the chairpersons and members of these councils are with us tonight. I would like to take this opportunity tothank you for your valuable contributions.

9.   With your guidance, we have established the backbone of our CET system, the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ). WSQ covers many sectors, ranging from retail, tourism, precision engineering, aerospace, early childhood education, security, the creative industries and social services. WSQ programmes are not just for rank-and-file workers. They extend to specialist and advanced diplomas which are suitable for PMETs. The WSQ gives workers easy access to modular and recognised skills training, as well as clear upgrading pathways. As at end 2008, more than 5,400 workers have attained WSQ qualifications.

The Role of CET Centres

10.   To build on the strong foundation already laid down, we need excellent CET centres to deliver the programmes effectively. These institutions can be from the public sector, such as our Polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs). They can also be private sector providers or industry associations focused on sectors they specialise in.

11.   Appointed by WDA from the pool of training providers with strong track records, CET Centres provide a comprehensive suite of high quality and industry relevant WSQ courses that meet the needs of workers and employers.

12.   In addition to offering training and assessment, they also work with the career centres at our Community Development Councils (CDCs) and Employment and Employability institute (e2i) to provide workers with career and training advice and to facilitate job placements. They also work with WDA on industry profiling and tracking of training outcomes.

13.   From just one CET centre in January 2006, we now have a total of 46 CET Centres across 22 sectors. Many of the heads of the CET centres and staff are here this evening. I would like to also thank you for your commitment in working with us to build up the national CET infrastructure. Collectively, you have already improved the employability of some 200,000 workers.

National CET Institutes (NCI)

14.   This evening, we are gathered here to mark a new milestone in our CET strategy. We are here to celebrate the designation of three CET Centres as the first National CET Institutes or NCIs. They are:

a. At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, which focuses on culinary arts and craft;
b. the Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology (CUGE), which specialises in the landscape industry; and
c. The Tourism Management Institute of Singapore (TMIS), which provides training for the tourism and hospitality industry.

15.   NCI is the equivalent of being conferred the "gold standard" and acknowledged as the best in your class amongst all training organisations that deliver WSQ programmes. It means these centres have demonstrated high quality delivery and commitment to support workforce development programmes. These NCIs will have developed greater capability and expanded obligations compared to other CET centres. The NCIs have adopted WSQ for their main CET programmes, with full WSQ pathways, from certificates to diplomas, and open access for workers who can directly sign up for training. They also provide a comprehensive suite of career services, including career counseling and job placement, as well as track the outcomes of their trainees.

16.   The three NCIs have distinguished themselves in delivering high quality WSQ training programmes and complementary services. They have consistently achieved good results in training and job placement outcomes. As training providers, they have a stellar track record of organisational excellence.

17.   For example, At-Sunrice has been instrumental in building up the pool of local chefs. Started in 2001, it has trained about 600 chefs. They now enjoy strong endorsements from top hotels (such as Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Fullerton Hotel), restaurants (such as Apex-Pal International – Sakae Sushi, Tung Lok Group of Restaurants) and global food service companies (such as Singapore Airport Terminal Services). At-Sunrice pioneered Singapore's first synchronised Study & Work training programme, where trainees gain real industry experience with top chefs and establishments. Many of its trainees are often recruited by the chefs who mentored them during such apprenticeships.

18.   As for CUGE, although it was only officially set up in 2007, it draws upon the many years of expertise that NParks had in the training and development arena. Even then, it took CUGE considerable efforts to convince employers and workers in the landscape industry the merit of systematic upgrading and to establish a strong presence in the industry. As at end December 2008, CUGE has trained over 1,300 workers and helped to place more than 650 workers into the landscape industry. With better training, the starting salaries for landscape technicians have increased from $800 to $1,000.

19.   Established 22 years ago, TMIS is today a well recognised institution with a proven track record in training and development capability for Tourism WSQ. To date, they have more than 35,000 graduates, many of whom are now with key local tourism industry players such as in the Singapore Flyer, Wildlife Reserves, Sentosa Leisure Group and Chan Brothers Travel.

20.   I would like to congratulate all three organisations for their accomplishments. They have been instrumental in establishing the skills and progression pathways for their industry, enhancing the professionalism of their industry, and helping many workers to upgrade their skills and fulfil their aspirations. As NCIs, they will have to rise up to the challenge and meet the higher expectations, whether in deploying innovative methods of adult training or responding promptly to changing skills needs in their industry. I am confident that they will be able to do so. I also hope that they can share their expertise and experiences with other CET Centres, so that more of them can strive towards excellence and aspire to reach the same standards.

21.   Let me highlight three workers who have benefited from training and who are here with us today. The first is Mr Gerald Tan who was amongst the pioneer batch of graduates from the WSQ Certification in Landscape Operations in Nov 2006. He started as a driver with Toh Kim Bock CE Pte Ltd, but after his course, he was promoted to a Landscape Supervisor. Also his pay has almost doubled.

22.   Mr Edward Tham started off as a pastry chef but now, after signing up for the WSQ Certificate in Tour & Travel Services and Attractions programme in July 2008, he received positive feedback from his trainers and got a job as a Travel Consultant with Bestlink Travel Pte Ltd. He is now very happy in his new job.

23.   Kevin Lee enrolled in the At-Sunrice WSQ CE Programme and after completing his 15-month diploma, he is now a chef at the Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore. He can consider going on to the Advanced Culinary Placement diploma, which is jointly awarded by At-Sunrice and Johnson & Wales University..

24.   We are very proud of their achievements and they serve as role models for others to follow.

Conclusion

25.   Ladies and Gentlemen, an effective CET system is crucial to enhancing the competitiveness of our economy and the employability of our workers. Today marks a significant milestone in the development of our national CET infrastructure. But we cannot stop here. We need to continue to press on with investing for the long term, and continue to build on our CET Master plan to serve current and future needs.

26.   Finally, let me congratulate At-Sunrice, CUGE and TMIS on their attainment of the National CET Institute status, the pinnacle status among our CET Centres. I also want to thank all our partners for their efforts in helping us build a world-class CET infrastructure.

On this note, I wish all of you an enjoyable evening. Thank you.