Speech at Creative Industries Fair

BG (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, Minister of State for Manpower and National Development, Marina Square level 2 main atrium

1. It is my pleasure to join you at the third Creative Industries Fair organised by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA). I am pleased to share that the Creative Industries Fair has been extremely popular. Since its inception in 2009, more than 40,000 participants have been introduced to WDA's Creative Industries Workforce Skills Qualifications (known as CI WSQ in short) programmes, as well as progression and career opportunities. This is a strong testament to WDA's continual efforts in collaborating with the industry to put in place relevant training and development programmes to enhance the capabilities of Singapore's creative workforce. This is a key component of Singapore's initiative in steering the Republic to become a Creative Hub in Asia and around the world.
   
   Buoyant Outlook for the Creative Services Sector
2. The outlook for Singapore's Creative Industries remains buoyant. The Creative Industries, categorised into three clusters – namely, Arts & Culture, Design, and Media & Communications – have seen significant growth over the years. Together, these three clusters have contributed a combined value-add of $11.8 billion to Singapore’s economy in 2010. The media cluster contributes 60% of the value-add, with the design and arts clusters account for about 30% and 10% respectively.
3. I am also pleased to share that the Creative industries are employing more than 135,000 people and this figure is set to rise. The promising potential of international media co-creation, greater emphasis on design-enabled productivity and a strong demand for visual and performing arts, have propelled a rising demand for professionals and talents in these industries. As a result, our workforce can look forward to new and exciting employment opportunities in areas such as industrial design, film and television, new media, and interactive digital media.
   
   Continuing Education and Training Key to Support Vibrancy and Diversity of the Creative Industries
4. The Creative Industries is a vibrant industry made up of more than 20 different sub-sectors, ranging from advertising, to architecture, to performing arts. Each sub-sector faces unique talent development challenges and it is not easy catering to the industry's diverse needs. Despite the challenges, I am heartened to learn that more than 2,700 creative professionals have upgraded their skills through WDA's CI WSQ Framework since its launch in 2007. To date, more than 6,000 Statements of Attainment (SOAs) have been issued to WDA trainees.
5. Besides acquiring industry-specific skills and knowledge through the CI WSQ training programmes offered by the Continuing Education and Training (CET) partners, creative professionals can also gain practical on-the-job training through the Creative Industries Apprenticeship Scheme. WDA launched the CI Apprenticeship Scheme in May 2010. About 30 companies and 80 apprentices have since benefited from it. More than half of them are now gainfully employed and currently working in industries such as Animation, Design, Film and Television, and Media, while the others are undergoing training. Notably, renowned companies such as GroupM and MediaCorp, will also be adopting the CI WSQ framework for recruitment and staff upgrading.
6. Let me share with you a success story of a recent graduate who had persevered and completed the 12-month WSQ Diploma in Industrial Design. Mr Kai Ng was working as a junior illustrator prior to taking the CI WSQ course. After an intensive 12-month programme at FZD School of Design, he was recruited by Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and has been honing his skills as a concept artist. He has also been rewarded for his hard work which saw him receiving more than 50% pay rise in his current job. In addition, his job scope and work responsibilities expanded. Kai went from being an illustrator working mainly on visual communication materials, to a concept artist who is responsible for the design and development of game characters and environments for major game productions.
7. I also hear of another success story from a recent graduate from CG Protégé Animation School, Mr Jeremiah Oh, a former customer service officer, who followed his passion and took the plunge to embark on a six-month advanced certificate, followed by a 12-month WSQ Diploma in Animation. Today, Jeremiah is part of the team that produced Singapore's first 3D animated TV series – Dream Defenders, which is expected to be screened in North America and Asia in late 2011.
8. WDA will continue to work closely with the industry players to build up the capabilities for a competent and competitive creative workforce. For instance, WDA is currently working with the DesignSingapore Council to develop a set of Design Thinking WSQ Competency Standards. These standards will be used to design training programmes, aimed at driving and improving productivity through innovation in the coming months. Another initiative in the pipeline is WDA's collaboration with the National Arts Council to roll out a WSQ Diploma programme in Arts Management for Arts Managers.
   
   New CI WSQ Initiatives for 2011
9. Moving forward, WDA and our CET partners will broaden and deepen the CI WSQ offerings through different training formats such as master-classes to encourage the Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) in the creative industries to update their skills, knowledge and expertise. One example is the Design-Healthcare master-class which WDA has rolled out recently. 21 Healthcare and Design professionals jointly developed three innovative proof-of-concepts to assist the elderly in embracing independent living. I am delighted to share that all three projects are now under review for further development.
10. I am pleased to announce today that WDA will be offering 18 scholarships under the Skills Training for Excellence Programme (STEP) for the Creative Industries over three years. This is a step toward grooming a pool of highly-skilled PMETs, to form the bedrock for Singapore’s continued growth in the Creative Industries.
11. For a start, WDA, the Singapore Management University (SMU) and the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore (IPRS) will be offering CI-Public Relations-STEP scholarships for post graduate studies under the Graduate Diploma in Public Relations (PR) and Master of Science in Communication Management programmes. WDA will bear the majority of the fees. This is in line with the Government’s strategic talent and leadership development thrust to help Singapore professionals take on leadership positions in the PR industry. For those who have taken the WSQ PR programme, they will be granted up to 20% exemption into the Graduate Diploma programme offered by the SMU. The collaboration between WDA, SMU and IPRS underscores the significance of CET for our creative professionals.
12. I would like to urge more organisations to come onboard and work with WDA to groom more talent to help drive business growth. This is a significant step in our CET journey, as WDA continues to introduce global best practices to build world-class capabilities for the Singapore workforce.
    
    Conclusion
13. CET is key in enhancing our skills to ensure that we stay employable and globally competitive.
14. The CI WSQ graduates have indeed worked hard to complete the programmes. I would like to congratulate all the graduates for their exemplary performance and tremendous dedication and passion during training. These graduates have invested time and effort in enriching their professional skills and I am confident that the new skills they possess will enable them to scale greater heights in their career.
15. On this note, let me wish all of you a successful and enriching CI Fair 2011.