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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published July 11, 2009
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Train me up, I'm an entrepreneur at heart
Spring to subsidise training for PMETs looking to start their own businesses
By CHEN HUIFEN
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WHO says entrepreneurs are born, not made? The government has floated a scheme to train up professionals who have been mulling over the option of starting their own businesses.
<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>MR LIM
The weaker job market may prompt more entrepreneurs to set up their own businesses</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) - regardless of whether they are employed or have been retrenched - can now sign up for an entrepreneurship training course with up to 70 per cent of the fees subsidised by Spring Singapore. The scheme, announced yesterday by Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, is expected to benefit some 500 PMETs over the next 10 months. Spring said it has set aside $500,000 to support the training courses until May next year.
Noting that the number of new startups has not dipped in the past few months, Mr Lim said that the weaker job market may prompt more entrepreneurs to set up their own businesses.
'To this end, ACE (Action Community for Entrepreneurship) and Spring have been working with the polytechnics to develop entrepreneurship training courses specially tailored to equip the PMET sector to start their (first) business ventures,' added Mr Lim during his opening speech at the 6th BlueSky Festival.
'The courses are expected to commence in August and September.'
All five polytechnics here have submitted their proposals to Spring for the programme. They will offer a mix of part-time and full-time courses, ranging from one to 15 weeks. The curriculum content will be aimed at equipping aspiring entrepreneurs with practical skills of running a business, such as how to design a business model, raise financing, manage cashflow, and handle HR and marketing.
Those interested should contact the respective polytechnics directly for more course details. The subsidy for the programme applies to all Singaporeans and PRs.
PMETs have been the hardest hit in the current economic downturn, accounting for about 42 per cent of the total job losses in Q1 this year. Several programmes have been announced in recent months to help this group. These include a career kit offering job search information, as well as a matching programme to link unemployed PMETs with SMEs.
The entrepreneurship training scheme for PMETs is one of two new initiatives aimed at supporting entrepreneurship in Singapore. ACE is also working with Spring and Nanyang Technological University to launch a national Business Ideas Competition for youths. The competition will require participants to take their business plan to actual execution.
The BlueSky Festival is an annual event organised by the ACE and supported by Spring Singapore. Consisting of a conference held at the Ritz-Carlton and a gala dinner at the Singapore Flyer, it is a platform for entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and share experiences.
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</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Published July 11, 2009
</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=452 colSpan=2>Train me up, I'm an entrepreneur at heart
Spring to subsidise training for PMETs looking to start their own businesses
By CHEN HUIFEN
<TABLE class=storyLinks border=0 cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=1 width=136 align=right><TBODY><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right>
</TD><TD>Email this article</TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right>
</TD><TD>Print article </TD></TR><TR class=font10><TD width=20 align=right>
</TD><TD>Feedback</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>WHO says entrepreneurs are born, not made? The government has floated a scheme to train up professionals who have been mulling over the option of starting their own businesses.
<TABLE class=picBoxL cellSpacing=2 width=100 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=caption><TD>MR LIMThe weaker job market may prompt more entrepreneurs to set up their own businesses</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) - regardless of whether they are employed or have been retrenched - can now sign up for an entrepreneurship training course with up to 70 per cent of the fees subsidised by Spring Singapore. The scheme, announced yesterday by Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang, is expected to benefit some 500 PMETs over the next 10 months. Spring said it has set aside $500,000 to support the training courses until May next year.
Noting that the number of new startups has not dipped in the past few months, Mr Lim said that the weaker job market may prompt more entrepreneurs to set up their own businesses.
'To this end, ACE (Action Community for Entrepreneurship) and Spring have been working with the polytechnics to develop entrepreneurship training courses specially tailored to equip the PMET sector to start their (first) business ventures,' added Mr Lim during his opening speech at the 6th BlueSky Festival.
'The courses are expected to commence in August and September.'
All five polytechnics here have submitted their proposals to Spring for the programme. They will offer a mix of part-time and full-time courses, ranging from one to 15 weeks. The curriculum content will be aimed at equipping aspiring entrepreneurs with practical skills of running a business, such as how to design a business model, raise financing, manage cashflow, and handle HR and marketing.
Those interested should contact the respective polytechnics directly for more course details. The subsidy for the programme applies to all Singaporeans and PRs.
PMETs have been the hardest hit in the current economic downturn, accounting for about 42 per cent of the total job losses in Q1 this year. Several programmes have been announced in recent months to help this group. These include a career kit offering job search information, as well as a matching programme to link unemployed PMETs with SMEs.
The entrepreneurship training scheme for PMETs is one of two new initiatives aimed at supporting entrepreneurship in Singapore. ACE is also working with Spring and Nanyang Technological University to launch a national Business Ideas Competition for youths. The competition will require participants to take their business plan to actual execution.
The BlueSky Festival is an annual event organised by the ACE and supported by Spring Singapore. Consisting of a conference held at the Ritz-Carlton and a gala dinner at the Singapore Flyer, it is a platform for entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and share experiences.
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