http://www.tremeritus.com/2015/05/09/chan-also-wants-to-introduce-skill-ladders-to-pmes/
[h=2]Chan wants to also introduce skill ladders to PMEs[/h]
May 9th, 2015 |
Author: Editorial
New Labour Chief Chan Chun Sing
Earlier this week (4 May), the new Labour Chief Chan Chun Sing in his first
media interview, told reporters that just as compulsory wage ladders were
introduced for low-income workers, he also wants to introduce skill ladders to
boost the career prospects of professionals, managers and executives (PMEs).
He said, “The professional sector also needs the same concept applied in a
different way.”
So far, the government has introduced the “progressive wage model” (PWM) for
cleaners, security guards and landscape workers. The minimum salaries for these
workers are set at $1,000, $1,100 and $1,300 respectively.
The PWM introduced by NTUC aims to help workers earn higher wages through
skills upgrading and productivity improvements [Link].
“With the PWM, companies will be able to better make use of their manpower,
and ensure workers receive competitive wages that commensurate with enhanced job
scopes and higher productivity levels,” NTUC said during the introduction of PWM
in 2012.
Private companies are “forced” to adopt PWM (and by design, the
implementation of minimum wages) in cleaning, security and landscaping
industries because of the mandatory licensing and purchasing requirements from
the government.
Now, Mr Chan also wants to tie up with professional bodies to accredit the
skills of PMEs.
Citing human resource professionals as an example, Mr Chan said that a skill
ladder would help them to upgrade their skills and progress from managing staff
in a SME to a MNC.
Upgrading skills through SkillsFuture scheme
A key way of helping workers is through SkillsFuture, he noted. Under the
SkillsFuture scheme, every citizen aged 25 or older will be receiving an initial
$500 grant to fund training courses.
“The two complement each other – the SkillsFuture (scheme) and the company
training,” he said. “I prefer not to talk in generalities. I prefer to look at
each individual company, each sector and examine the needs… and then we come up
with specific plans to help the respective companies, the respective unions can
gear up their workers.”
However, it’s not known how Mr Chan is going to help PMEs climb the skill or
wage ladders through training. Many of the senior PME positions are attained
through years of working experience or opening job opportunities as well as
networking.
Take for example, in accounting, an accountant typically rises up in ranks in
a company as follows: junior accountant, senior accountant, accounting manager,
financial controller, finance director and ultimately CFO.
Sometimes, people are brought in from the outside to fill a position, taking
away the opportunity for one to be promoted to, regardless of his trainings or
even experience.
To make things worse, there is also a question of demand and supply.
According to an Indian mainstream news report last month (‘India,
Singapore working on mutual recognition agreements‘), Indian chartered
accountants and nurses will soon get easy access to work in Singapore, as the
two countries are finalising mutual recognition agreements.
Mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) help to pave the way for recognition of
professional body of one country by the other.
“We already have Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) going on for Singapore.
In nursing we have finished MRAs. The other MRAs on chartered accountancies are
under negotiations,” Commerce Secretary of India, Rajeev Kher, told the Indian
media.
With MRAs, it is expected that cheaper accountants and nurses from India will
be coming to Singapore to work (‘More Indian accountants and nurses to work in SG‘), a boon for
Singapore employers.
It’s not known how SkillsFuture scheme, which Mr Chan talked about, can help
Singaporean accountants and nurses compete with the cheaper equivalents from
India.
What do you think?
[h=2]Chan wants to also introduce skill ladders to PMEs[/h]
May 9th, 2015 |
Author: Editorial
New Labour Chief Chan Chun Sing
Earlier this week (4 May), the new Labour Chief Chan Chun Sing in his first
media interview, told reporters that just as compulsory wage ladders were
introduced for low-income workers, he also wants to introduce skill ladders to
boost the career prospects of professionals, managers and executives (PMEs).
He said, “The professional sector also needs the same concept applied in a
different way.”
So far, the government has introduced the “progressive wage model” (PWM) for
cleaners, security guards and landscape workers. The minimum salaries for these
workers are set at $1,000, $1,100 and $1,300 respectively.
The PWM introduced by NTUC aims to help workers earn higher wages through
skills upgrading and productivity improvements [Link].
“With the PWM, companies will be able to better make use of their manpower,
and ensure workers receive competitive wages that commensurate with enhanced job
scopes and higher productivity levels,” NTUC said during the introduction of PWM
in 2012.
Private companies are “forced” to adopt PWM (and by design, the
implementation of minimum wages) in cleaning, security and landscaping
industries because of the mandatory licensing and purchasing requirements from
the government.
Now, Mr Chan also wants to tie up with professional bodies to accredit the
skills of PMEs.
Citing human resource professionals as an example, Mr Chan said that a skill
ladder would help them to upgrade their skills and progress from managing staff
in a SME to a MNC.
Upgrading skills through SkillsFuture scheme
A key way of helping workers is through SkillsFuture, he noted. Under the
SkillsFuture scheme, every citizen aged 25 or older will be receiving an initial
$500 grant to fund training courses.
“The two complement each other – the SkillsFuture (scheme) and the company
training,” he said. “I prefer not to talk in generalities. I prefer to look at
each individual company, each sector and examine the needs… and then we come up
with specific plans to help the respective companies, the respective unions can
gear up their workers.”
However, it’s not known how Mr Chan is going to help PMEs climb the skill or
wage ladders through training. Many of the senior PME positions are attained
through years of working experience or opening job opportunities as well as
networking.
Take for example, in accounting, an accountant typically rises up in ranks in
a company as follows: junior accountant, senior accountant, accounting manager,
financial controller, finance director and ultimately CFO.
Sometimes, people are brought in from the outside to fill a position, taking
away the opportunity for one to be promoted to, regardless of his trainings or
even experience.
To make things worse, there is also a question of demand and supply.
According to an Indian mainstream news report last month (‘India,
Singapore working on mutual recognition agreements‘), Indian chartered
accountants and nurses will soon get easy access to work in Singapore, as the
two countries are finalising mutual recognition agreements.
Mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) help to pave the way for recognition of
professional body of one country by the other.
“We already have Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) going on for Singapore.
In nursing we have finished MRAs. The other MRAs on chartered accountancies are
under negotiations,” Commerce Secretary of India, Rajeev Kher, told the Indian
media.
With MRAs, it is expected that cheaper accountants and nurses from India will
be coming to Singapore to work (‘More Indian accountants and nurses to work in SG‘), a boon for
Singapore employers.
It’s not known how SkillsFuture scheme, which Mr Chan talked about, can help
Singaporean accountants and nurses compete with the cheaper equivalents from
India.
What do you think?
