Success of Job-related Help Including Career Support, Professional Conversion and Capability Transfer Programmes

Mr Abdul Samad asked the Minister for Manpower (a) to date, how many Singaporeans have benefited from the various support programmes such as the Career Support Programme, Professional Conversion Programme and Capability Transfer Programme respectively; and (b) how much has been spent on the successful take-up rate of each programme relative to their respective budgets.

The Professional Conversion Programme was rebranded as Career Conversion Programme (CCP) in August 2021 to reflect its broad coverage across a range of occupations. CCPs provide generous salary support for employers to reskill their mid-career workers for new jobs with better prospects and opportunities for progression. Workforce Singapore (WSG) offers close to 100 CCPs across around 30 sectors and works with sector agencies and employers to mount new CCPs for growth areas. For example, WSG launched the CCP for sustainability professionals last year, to prepare workers for new roles such as sustainability officers and carbon analysts. Since 2016, we have committed close to $1 billion for CCPs and more than 40,000 locals have benefited from them.

Mr Abdul Samad has also asked about the Capability Transfer Programme (CTP). CTP was introduced in October 2017 and provides funding support to companies to acquire global capabilities not available in Singapore. We have committed about $5 million to fund projects that have supported over 1,000 local workers to date. Due to travel restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the take-up of CTP had been low over the past few years. With the gradual resumption of international travel, we are observing more enquiries and applications for CTP and we expect take-up to increase.

CTP is but one of several ways in which the Government supports firms in capability transfer. Enterprise Singapore’s Global Ready Talent Programme supports Singapore companies in building young talent pipeline through internships and overseas work opportunities. Structured company training programmes, which can be supported under SkillsFuture and the aforementioned CCPs, are also vehicles for skills transfer.

The Career Support Programme was discontinued in 2020.

We support jobseekers in other ways besides these programmes that Mr Abdul Samad highlighted. The SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package brought together programmes from various agencies to help jobseekers enter new jobs, or to pursue attachments and training programmes to improve their employability. These include the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme and the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme.

Thanks to the strong partnership with employers and unions, the take-up of the SGUnited Jobs and Skills programmes has been encouraging. From April 2020 to April 2022, around 200,000 locals were placed into jobs, traineeships and attachment opportunities under the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package, of which close to eight in 10 were placed into permanent jobs.

While there is a wide suite of jobs and skills programmes available, their success ultimately depends on both employers and workers. I encourage employers to be intentional and forward-looking in training their workforce. I also encourage workers to embrace learning new skills and be open to new career challenges. This is the way that both businesses and workers can seize new opportunities and succeed together.