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Oral Answer by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister for Manpower, to Parliamentary Questions on SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme

Notice Paper No. 143 Of 2015 For The Sitting On 11 May 2015

Questions No. 596 And 597 For Oral Answer

NMP: Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng

To ask the Minister for Manpower how can companies that are outside of the 17 priority sectors in the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme participate in the programme.

To ask the Minister for Manpower whether trade associations from the non-priority sectors can be supported with more resources and funding to develop their industry manpower plan under the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme.

Answer

  1. The SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP in short), launched in March this year, is a work-study programme designed to give fresh graduates from the polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) a head-start in careers related to their study. It provides them with more opportunities after graduation to build on the skills and knowledge acquired in school, and to better support their transition to the workforce.
  2. The Food Manufacturing Industry was the first sector to roll out the ELP in April this year. Other industries that will come onboard in 2015 include Food Services, Games Development, Logistics, Infocomm Technology, Marine & Offshore Engineering, Retail and Precision Engineering. We will progressively implement the ELP in more industries and eventually cover up to one in three polytechnic and ITE graduates.
  3. We have prioritised these industries to start first because they are more ready, at the same time we also encourage the participation of Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) to help reach out to companies in their respective sectors, whether priority or non-priority sectors. Mr Thomas Chua will be pleased to know that the Government will support them with additional resources and work with them to design quality Earn and Learn programmes  that are not only relevant to individual companies but also the industry as a whole. Together, we can move faster in developing skills progression frameworks and career progression pathways for our fresh graduates.