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<TABLE id=msgUN border=0 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>
Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Bosses sending FTs for English classes</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead vAlign=top><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>kojakbt_89 <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>Apr-23 9:31 pm </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 39) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>32190.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>Apr 24, 2010
WDA LANGUAGE TEST
Bosses sending staff for English classes
Employers drawn to offer of lower foreign worker levy for those who pass the Service Literacy Test
<!-- by line -->By Melissa Kok
<!-- end by line -->
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Chinese nationals (from left) Julie Song Luxia, Star Xu Xinxing and Amy Sun Qi work as junior guest service executives at Golden Peony Restaurant in the Conrad Centennial Singapore hotel. They are part of the hotel's first batch of foreign employees to be sent for English classes in preparation for the WDA's Service Literacy Test. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
<!-- story content : start -->
http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_518494.html
EMPLOYERS in the hotel, retail and food and beverage trade appear to be jumping at the chance to save on their foreign worker levy bills.
The lure: Savings of $100 a month on the levy for each such worker on their payroll.
The catch: These workers have to clear an English literacy test administered by the Workforce Development Agency.
These bosses are thus either running in-house English language programmes or sending their foreign staff for classes run by private trainers to prepare them for the Service Literacy Test (SLT).
Training providers, confirming a surge in the number of inquiries about classes from businesses and individuals, say they are coming up with new courses tailored to meet their clients' needs.
The first test will be held in July.
The Conrad Centennial Singapore hotel, which expects its staff to converse with and understand the needs of its guests, has sent 17 of its 208 foreign employees to classes in basic conversational English since December.
They will eventually take the SLT.
Asked if the lower foreign worker levy was an incentive, a hotel spokesman said: 'We see this initiative as one which benefits not only the organisation in the long term, but also the employees.'
A spokesman for supermarket chain Sheng Siong said it is keen on sending its staff for language classes but is not making it compulsory since some of its employees already understand basic English.
Last year, the poor command of English, especially among foreign front-line staff, stirred discussion among Singaporeans about how this was crippling the performance and service standards in the hotel, retail and restaurant industries.
From July, the levy for a worker with a certificate in a relevant job skill who passes the SLT will be pegged at $160.
The levy for another worker with a similar certificate but who does not pass the test is $260 - the same as that for an unskilled worker.
Workers in the three sectors must now pass the SLT to be considered skilled and to be granted work permits that recognise them as such.
The difference in levy for skilled and unskilled workers is aimed at driving employers to send their unskilled employees for training, thus saving on the levy in the long term when they become skilled workers.
The SLT comprises two parts - speaking and listening - which can be taken in one sitting or over two days.
Candidates attempt about 30 questions for each component, which will test them on what they would say to a customer in order to be providing good service.
Malaysians are the only foreign nationals exempted from the test.
The first batch of candidates to take the test in July are likely to be skilled workers looking to renew their work permits.
If they fail the test, their permits will not be renewed, but they will have another chance to pass it.
If they fail a second time, they will have to wait six months to retake the test.
In the meantime, they can only be hired as unskilled workers.
Among the training providers running classes to help test candidates brush up on their English is the NTUC LearningHub.
Its Service Literacy Programme starting at the end of this month will provide pointers on how to give and receive instructions, and understand job-related announcements.
Other training providers such as Language That Works and Ascend Education Centre plan to run customised courses and workshops to help foreigners bone up for the SLT.
Such programmes can cost between $250 and $1,000 a head.
But some companies are unwilling to get their staff to clear the SLT.
They will bite the bullet and pay more in foreign worker levy.
Ya Kun International, for example, said sending its employees for language training would cost too much.
Its operations manager Jimmy Ng is also not confident that his workers will pass the test. Already, two employees from China who sat a pilot run of the test had flunked it.
Mr Ng said: 'Maybe we will send one or two for training, but there's no point sending all because they will probably fail.
'No choice, we'll just pay the extra levy.'
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
WDA LANGUAGE TEST
Bosses sending staff for English classes
Employers drawn to offer of lower foreign worker levy for those who pass the Service Literacy Test
<!-- by line -->By Melissa Kok
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar -->
<!-- story content : start -->
http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_518494.html
EMPLOYERS in the hotel, retail and food and beverage trade appear to be jumping at the chance to save on their foreign worker levy bills.
The lure: Savings of $100 a month on the levy for each such worker on their payroll.
The catch: These workers have to clear an English literacy test administered by the Workforce Development Agency.
These bosses are thus either running in-house English language programmes or sending their foreign staff for classes run by private trainers to prepare them for the Service Literacy Test (SLT).
Training providers, confirming a surge in the number of inquiries about classes from businesses and individuals, say they are coming up with new courses tailored to meet their clients' needs.
The first test will be held in July.
The Conrad Centennial Singapore hotel, which expects its staff to converse with and understand the needs of its guests, has sent 17 of its 208 foreign employees to classes in basic conversational English since December.
They will eventually take the SLT.
Asked if the lower foreign worker levy was an incentive, a hotel spokesman said: 'We see this initiative as one which benefits not only the organisation in the long term, but also the employees.'
A spokesman for supermarket chain Sheng Siong said it is keen on sending its staff for language classes but is not making it compulsory since some of its employees already understand basic English.
Last year, the poor command of English, especially among foreign front-line staff, stirred discussion among Singaporeans about how this was crippling the performance and service standards in the hotel, retail and restaurant industries.
From July, the levy for a worker with a certificate in a relevant job skill who passes the SLT will be pegged at $160.
The levy for another worker with a similar certificate but who does not pass the test is $260 - the same as that for an unskilled worker.
Workers in the three sectors must now pass the SLT to be considered skilled and to be granted work permits that recognise them as such.
The difference in levy for skilled and unskilled workers is aimed at driving employers to send their unskilled employees for training, thus saving on the levy in the long term when they become skilled workers.
The SLT comprises two parts - speaking and listening - which can be taken in one sitting or over two days.
Candidates attempt about 30 questions for each component, which will test them on what they would say to a customer in order to be providing good service.
Malaysians are the only foreign nationals exempted from the test.
The first batch of candidates to take the test in July are likely to be skilled workers looking to renew their work permits.
If they fail the test, their permits will not be renewed, but they will have another chance to pass it.
If they fail a second time, they will have to wait six months to retake the test.
In the meantime, they can only be hired as unskilled workers.
Among the training providers running classes to help test candidates brush up on their English is the NTUC LearningHub.
Its Service Literacy Programme starting at the end of this month will provide pointers on how to give and receive instructions, and understand job-related announcements.
Other training providers such as Language That Works and Ascend Education Centre plan to run customised courses and workshops to help foreigners bone up for the SLT.
Such programmes can cost between $250 and $1,000 a head.
But some companies are unwilling to get their staff to clear the SLT.
They will bite the bullet and pay more in foreign worker levy.
Ya Kun International, for example, said sending its employees for language training would cost too much.
Its operations manager Jimmy Ng is also not confident that his workers will pass the test. Already, two employees from China who sat a pilot run of the test had flunked it.
Mr Ng said: 'Maybe we will send one or two for training, but there's no point sending all because they will probably fail.
'No choice, we'll just pay the extra levy.'
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