Remarks at NKF-GoodJobs All-Inclusive Job Fair and MOU Signing

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower, Mr Shawn Huang, National Kidney Foundation

Ms Yen Tan, CEO, The National Kidney Foundation
Ms Jenny Wee, BBM, Co-Founder and Director, GoodJobs and The Social Equity
Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Good morning, and thank you very much for inviting me to join you today.  

2. First, I would like to commend the National Kidney Foundation (or NKF) and GoodJobs for their dedication to building a more inclusive society where everyone can contribute. Today’s MOU signing is a culmination of their efforts to support diverse jobseekers to find employment over the last ten years.

a. Since 2015, NKF has been supporting patients to find meaningful work while managing their dialysis schedules, medical appointments, or hospitalisations caused by comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension. Today, as part of their Renal Rehabilitation initiative, NKF works with employers under the EMPower programme to create flexible job opportunities that meet patients’ needs. 

b. And serving the community has always been at the heart of GoodJobs’ mission, since they were established in 2021. Their online portal now hosts tens of thousands of job postings that welcome persons with disabilities, caregivers, seniors and diverse segments of our workforce.

Enabling Atypical Jobseekers to Find Employment

3. What unites all of us here today is a common belief that every member of society can participate in the workforce and achieve their aspirations.

a. A job is more than a source of income. For many, having a job is closely tied to their identity and purpose.

b. For renal patients, being diagnosed with kidney failure causes significant disruptions to their job and life, and the treatment process is wrought with physical, emotional and financial difficulties. Enabling them to find meaningful work while managing their dialysis can help them to build their self-reliance, provide financial relief and above all, support them in continuing to lead dignified and fulfilling lives.

c. For caregivers, many might have sacrificed their careers or progression to care for their family members. Supporting them to balance their caregiving duties with work allows them to remain socially connected and engaged in the workforce, while contributing to their family finances.

d. And as a society, our employers and economy stand to benefit from the valuable contributions of patients and caregivers.

4. We have made significant progress in achieving this shared vision.

a. In the past year, MOM introduced the First Bill of the Workplace Fairness Act to combat workplace discrimination, and launched the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests to enable more to balance their work with personal needs.

b. The Government has also been working closely with stakeholders from the private, public and people sectors, such as through the Taskforce on Promoting Inclusive Employment Practices, which aimed to support more people with disabilities to secure and retain employment. The Taskforce Report was published last year, and the Ministry of Social and Family Development and SG Enable are working with stakeholders to implement its recommendations.

c. Thanks to the efforts of our stakeholders, the employment rates of persons with disabilities, women and seniors increased by around 5%-points from 2019 to 2024.

5. But we want to do more to ensure all can contribute to our economy. We are working closely with employers and employees in the community to help atypical jobseekers find jobs that meet their needs.

a. Some jobseekers, especially those with caregiving responsibilities or mobility issues, prefer to take on jobs near their homes. The Jobs Nearby @ CDC initiative, launched by the Prime Minister last week, will help residents find jobs close to home.

b. Other jobseekers desire more flexibility to manage their workload. Workforce Singapore recently enhanced the Career Conversion Programmes to support the reskilling of mid-career new hires and employees on flexi-load jobs.

c. Flexible work arrangements can also support workers to balance their work and personal needs. The Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests, which took effect in December last year, supports employers to provide flexible work arrangements by guiding employers and employees to discuss and arrive at mutually beneficial arrangements.

NKF-GoodJobs MOU

6. But enabling our patients and caregivers to participate fully in the workforce will take more than just schemes and programmes.

a. It requires the commitment of Government, businesses and citizens to build a more inclusive society.

b. We will need employers and workers to play their part to shift workplace culture. 

c. And community partners play a key role in understanding the challenges on the ground, advocating for the needs of their beneficiaries, and taking action to drive change from the bottom-up.

7. This is why today’s MOU signing is so important.

a. It demonstrates NKF and GoodJobs’ commitment to enabling dialysis patients and caregivers to find meaningful work, by organising dedicated job fairs for them, and connecting them to other community job fairs by GoodJobs.

b. Beyond support for jobseekers, NKF and GoodJobs will also engage employers, community partners and other stakeholders to champion inclusive employment and catalyse change.

i. Under the MOU, NKF and GoodJobs will jointly engage employers to promote inclusive hiring practices.

ii. They will also organise the Partners Connect Symposium in April 2026, which will convene stakeholders to cross-share best practices and drive ecosystem development.

8. I hope this inspires more organisations to actively engage the community and collaborate for good.

a. For employers and HR recruiters, we encourage you to be understanding towards the needs of atypical jobseekers, and open to implementing flexible work arrangements to cater to diverse segments. This will enable businesses to tap on a wider pool of talent to meet your manpower needs. 

b. For community partners, we encourage you to collaborate with each other to amplify your impact, by leveraging each other’s capabilities and networks. 

i. We invite you to partner GoodJobs in their efforts to advocate for and aggregate inclusive jobs, such as by working with GoodJobs to (1) organise similar job fairs for your beneficiaries, or (2) match them to jobs that align with their needs and life aspirations.

ii. You can also reach out to your local CDC to be part of the Jobs Nearby @ CDC initiative.

c. Together, we can break down barriers and stereotypes, and build an inclusive society where no one is left behind.

i. While progress may not be overnight, I am confident that the seeds we plant today will bear fruit in the coming months and years.

Conclusion 

9. In conclusion, I would like to express my appreciation for the support of many forward-looking companies, community partners, family and friends present today.

10. May there be sustained momentum in our collaboration to build a Singapore where everyone can realise their aspirations and contribute to our economy and society. Thank you.