Manufacturing employers to get support for manpower needs in Singapore

In a bid to support business transformation for the manufacturing sector, Workforce Singapore (WSG), together with the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) and industry stakeholders, is ramping up its broad-based Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) for the sector.

This will include ramp-up of the PCP for Manufacturing Professional and PCP for Technical Sales Engineer/Manager, to help companies meet their manpower needs, as announced by Minister for Manpower, Josephine Teo, during her visit to TranZplus Engineering (S).

The timely effort comes at a time when companies in the manufacturing sector are looking to transform their operations and leverage on robotics and automation, which have been identified as potential growth areas. some companies are also expanding and diversifying their portfolios.

Manufacturing PCPs to see increased capacity

The total capacity of the PCP for Manufacturing Professional and PCP for Technical Sales Engineer/Manager, has been increased, led by WSG, to benefit an additional 1,000 PMETs over a period of three years from Sep 2019.

This increase in capacity reinforces the following objectives and criteria of the PCPs for employers and participants:

• The PCPs are targeted at PMETs to take on new or enhanced job roles in areas within the manufacturing sector, such as: operations management, quality checks, sales & marketing, account management, operations excellence, and more.
• Participants will undergo a three-month training, which comprises both classroom and structured on-the-job training at the hiring company.
• Candidates who are mid-career hires must be newly hired PMETs and nominated by an eligible company for the PCP; and must not be in a similar job role in the same industry prior to joining the PCP, among other criteria to be followed.
• As for employers, they must be registered or incorporated in Singapore; must offer the new hire a PMET job and issue a valid permanent employment contract (of at least 12 months).
• Companies undergoing business transformation need to detail their transformation and redeployment plans in their application to SMF, and justify the need for redeployment. They also need to provide details on the job creation or enhancement.

These PCPs were launched in Nov 2016 under the Adapt and Grow initiative, and have since benefited more than 1,200 mid-career PMETs by helping them with skills to take on new careers in the sector, as well allowed employers to tap into this pool of jobseekers who bring working experience and soft skills.

Tan Choon Shian, WSG’s Chief Executive said: "The increase in capacity for the broad-based PCPs will be timely to help the sector plug skills gaps amidst the labour crunch and to deepen the capabilities of our local talent pool.

"We encourage more companies to act now so that the sector as a whole can become more competitive globally and better ride the new currents of growth when the economy picks up."

Douglas Foo, President of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), added: "With the current uncertain global economic outlook and projected slow growth, manufacturing companies should seize every opportunity to push forth with workforce transformation to stay competitive and relevant and to be prepared for the future."

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