CONSTRUCTION BRIGADE

Mr Rohan bin Kamis asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will report on the progress of the Construction Brigade.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Since October 1981, when the Construction Brigade had its first intake of 94 National Servicemen, the strength of the Brigade has to date grown to 1,657. There is an intake every quarter. So far, there have been 6 intakes.

Construction Brigade trainees spend the first 3 months of National Service on basic training at the Civil Defence School and VITB Centres. They are paid a basic allowance of $90 during this period, similar to what other National Servicemen in the SAF and Police are getting. Civil Defence School gives them training in basic discipline to work as a member of an organised force. VITB training provides the vocational qualifications for on-the-job (OJT) training at HDB worksites during the next 9 months. Those with the necessary qualifications and aptitude are taught specialised trades such as electrical wiring, lift mechanics and prefabrication. The others take up building trades such as bar-bending, brick laying, painting, tiling, pipe fining, carpentry and plastering. Altogether, 10 trades are available for the trainees to specialise in, although only 8 trades were available when the training scheme was first implemented. While on on-the-job training, the trainees are paid a monthly National Service allowance of $110 plus a food and transport allowance of $10 per working day.

As at 31st December, 1982, 342 out of 418 trainees from the first and second intakes had completed on-the-job training and had been disrupted from full-time National Service and are employed by HDB contractors to work in construction sites. They are paid market rates of wages and CPF benefits like any other construction worker. Their take home pay averages $25 (between $23 to $28) daily, comparable to what other construction workers of equivalent skill are earning. The other 76 are still on OJT and will enter the open market for construction jobs by March 1983. 916 trainees from the third, fourth and fifth intakes are presently at HDB worksites receiving their 9 months' on-the-job training.

On completion of 18 months employment with HDB contractors, the Construction Brigade trainees will be liable for reserve service in the Civil Defence Emergency Response Units. The skills and experience they have acquired on HDB worksites will stand them in good stead in civil employment as well as in their role as Civil Defence reservists. The first batch of Construction Brigade trainees will go into the Civil Defence as reservists in mid-1984.

To give value to the trade training at VITB and the work experience, Construction Brigade trainees are eligible to take a trade test - the Certificate of Competency Test - one year after commencement of VITB training. So far, the first, second and third batches are eligible to register and sit for the test. 50 out of 94 trainees of the first intake were tested, of whom 43 passed. 257 out of 636 from the second and third intakes have registered for the trade test. They will sit for their examinations in the next few months. These certificates of competency will enhance employment prospects of the trainees after their release from the free market.

Under discussion with HDB is a proposal to introduce cash awards for the best Construction Brigade Trainee On-the-Job for each intake and the most Safety Conscious Trainee for the month. These will be incentives to Construction Brigade trainees to excel in their performance.