CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY MANPOWER

Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what is the manpower projection (by professions and trades) for the construction industry over the next 5 years; (b) what are the plans or measures taken to upgrade the construction workforce in Singapore; and (c) can construction skills training courses be conducted in all ITE institutions instead of in only one training centre, the Construction Industry Training Institute (CITI), presently.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Manpower Projection of the Construction Sector

The construction industry has shown signs of improvement since the economic crisis. The third quarter Economic Survey of 2000 indicated that the sector has contracted by only 1.3% as compared to a decline of 14.2% in the third quarter of 1999. Despite the improved performance of the construction industry over the recent quarters, the construction industry is still sluggish. As a result, the employment in the near future is unlikely to grow. In fact, overall employment is projected to decline in absolute numbers over the next 5 years. This is partly due to efforts to reduce the number of foreign workers in the construction industry. The C21 blueprint had recommended reduction of the man-year entitlement (MYE) to 70% of the level in 1999 by 2005 and to 50% in 2010, or earlier if practicable. Based on a more cautious economic outlook for the sector, and the move to reduce MYE to raise productivity, the overall employment in the construction sector is likely to continue to decline over the next 5 years. The decline in overall employment will mainly affect the low skilled workers (eg general workers), most of whom are foreign workers.

Despite the decline in overall employment for the construction sector, some jobs will still be in demand in the construction industry. Manpower demand is projected to grow for those with degree, diploma and post-secondary qualifications. In terms of manpower demand by occupations, professionals, associated professionals and skilled craftsmen will emerge as the fastest growing occupations in the construction industry. Specifically, at the professional level, the jobs in demand include project managers and engineers; for the associate professionals, these include foremen, site supervisors and project coordinators; as for the skilled craftsmen, these include bricklayers, plasterers and carpenters.

Efforts to Upgrade the Construction Workforce

The Construction 21 Blueprint also recognises the need to upgrade the skills level of the construction workforce in Singapore. It has recommended a number of measures to raise the professionalism in the industry and upgrade the skills level of construction workforce.

With respect to raising professionalism, institutions of higher learning will be introducing new modules and enhancing the tertiary curriculum for construction-related fields to develop multi-disciplinary skills and strengthen cooperation between professionals. Professional bodies, trade associations and the Construction Industry Training Institute (CITI) have continuing professional and technical development programmes including harnessing Information Technology; the design-and-build concepts; and buildable designs. C21 also recommended making Continuing Professional Development Programmes mandatory for the renewal of professional and trade membership. The Board of Architects, Professional Engineers Board and the Construction Industry Joint Committee (CIJC) are taking steps to implement continuing education.

To upgrade the skills of construction workers, BCA works closely with the industry to train construction workers and reviews training curriculum regularly to respond to industry needs. Since 1999, BCA has also progressively raised the skill requirements for foreign construction workers who come to work in Singapore. Early last year, it included the trade-related knowledge requirement for skilled workers. Arising from these measures, the new construction workers that come to Singapore to work are generally of higher skills and better educated. There is also a proposal for multi-skilling requirements for the construction workers. MOM has also introduced the 100% Basic Skills Certificate (BSC) requirement for construction workers from non-traditional sources. As a result of such efforts, the proportion of foreign construction workers certified at SEC level is 65% as at November 2000.

The Government has also put in place incentives to upgrade the skills of local workers. Local workers pay lower test fees at CITI for most of the main trades. Employers can also enjoy subsidies from the Skills Development Fund of between 50% and 80% on the fees of many courses in CITI, such as courses in "Safety Construction Supervision" and "Mobile Crane Operations".

Conduct of Construction Skills Training Courses

Historically, construction-related training was carried out by the former VITB, which has been transformed to the present ITE. In 1984, it was decided that a separate construction training institution be set up under the former CIDB so that a wide range of training and testing programmes can be provided to meet the needs of the construction industry at one single location.

As the Agency responsible for the construction industry, BCA has the primary responsibility of training and upgrading the skills of construction workforce in Singapore. The Construction Industry Training Institute (CITI), the training arm of BCA, has been responding to the training needs of the construction industry. However, BCA recognises that it alone could not provide all the training needs of the construction industry. Hence, training is also carried out by the industry through the Testing Centres in Singapore authorised by BCA and other training institutions. The polytechnics also provide training for the construction supervisors and sub-professionals. For foreign workers, most of them are trained at the source countries before they are tested at the Overseas Testing Centres. Although construction training and skills upgrading is a primary responsibility of BCA, BCA supports ITE conducting construction skills training courses if ITE should decide to resume this activity again.