Relevance of e2i Reskilling Programmes

Mr Yaw Shin Leong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Manpower since the inception of the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) in 2006 (a) what is the take-up rate for its reskilling programmes; (b) what is the placement rate of candidates in new jobs; (c) how are the sectors which are in dire need of local workers identified; (d) what are the root issues as to why these sectors are unable to attract local workers; and (e) whether these issues are being adequately addressed.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam: A productivity-driven and innovative economy needs a strong and supportive Continuing Education and Training (CET) foundation to ensure that the workforce has the relevant skills to meet current and future needs. Over the years, WDA has developed a robust and comprehensive CET system based on the key tenets that training must meet the needs of employers and also lead to better jobs and improved employability for our workers. E2i is one of the multiple stakeholders in this national CET system.

To-date, about 700,000 workers have been trained in Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses 4 . This includes workers who were sent for training by their employers as well as individuals who participated in training on their own initiative. In a 2010 survey, 88% of respondents indicated that they were able to apply the skills learnt from WSQ training in their jobs. Similarly, more than 90% of 1,900 companies surveyed indicated that WSQ training had helped improve the work performance of employees.

WDA has also put in place Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) to enable professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) to switch to a range of new occupations such as registered nurses, occupational therapists, preschool teachers and software developers. As at Dec 2010, about 3,600 PMETs had undergone or were undergoing training.

As training should lead to improved employment outcomes, our CET Centres also provide job placement services. WDA's Career Centres at the Community Development Councils (CDCs) and e2i also play an integral role in placing workers in jobs. Where workers possess the requisite skills, the Career Centres can help to place them into job vacancies on hand. However, where skills gaps are identified, the Career Centres would encourage workers to go for relevant training before placing them in jobs. Six in 10 job seekers were placed into jobs by WDA's Career Centres and e2i in 2010. This translates to some 17,000 successful job placements.

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Certain industries face continuing difficulties in attracting local manpower. This is particularly where the job entails shift work, outdoor work conditions or serving customers. A tight labour market also means that local workers have ample choices of jobs. However, there is also some mismatch of skills, with employers needing skills which those looking for jobs do not have. We have thus been working closely with industry to redesign jobs and train workers to meet the needs of these jobs.

Ultimately, the solution lies in upgrading jobs and productivity, and allowing employees to take pride in their work, no matter what the job. Higher productivity will enable employers to offer better pay and career prospects to local workers.

The Government is investing heavily to support companies and workers in this effort. This includes both generic and focused schemes. Amongst the focused approaches is the Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP) administered by e2i and funded by the National Productivity Fund. The $40 million scheme provides grants to help employers raise productivity by investing in training their workers and by leveraging on technology to reduce reliance on manpower.