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The Workers' Party
- Thread starter sengkang
- Start date
Really? You need, I dont need. I will drive myself instead of being ONE who
lookout. Such a parasite who timidly goes for the hefty salary.
[h=1]Budget 2015 Speech – MP Lee Li Lian[/h]
By MP for Punggol East SMC, Lee Li Lian
[Delivered in Parliament on 5 Mar 2015]
Madam Speaker, Singapore has come a long way and this year we will be celebrating our nation’s first 50 years as an independent country. Our history is important. It shapes, molds and forms our country. Having said that, our future is equally critical and this year’s budget takes major steps in four areas to focus on building Singapore’s future. The Government investing more in our Nation’s most valuable assets, our people, is welcome and certainly the right thing to do.
Today I will focus my speech on the need to invest skills of the future, and empower every individual to learn and develop throughout their life.
Skills Future Credit
Technology is constantly evolving and changing the way things are being done. Processes that we considered common and had gotten used to for years can be done today more efficiently and effectively with the help of technological advancements. Jobs can be replaced by technology, never to return. When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. And to remain competitive, it is important for people to constantly adapt and adjust to stay relevant in an era of rapid technological advances and environmental change. To charter this course of self-development, skills upgrading and training are essential.
One of the highlights of this year’s budget is that all Singaporeans, above the age of 25, will receive an initial credit of $500 for work-related courses. That is to say even at the age of 70, one can continue to upgrade themselves. In Chinese we call this, 活到老学到老. It is true that people must be interested in getting themselves trained. They have to see the value training can bring them. If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you. However, at the same time, we can help enable the individual who is willing to take ownership of his or her life. Apart from providing a $500 credit for work-related courses we will need to address factors that might hamper the development of a culture of continued self-development. .
One reason why employees may not be going for the required skills upgrade could be the resistance they are getting from their respective companies.Training presents a prime opportunity to expand the knowledge base of all employees, but many employers find the development opportunities costly. Employees may need to be absent from work to attend a course or training, which may delay the completion of projects and scheduled work. Employers may also not be willing to bear some of the costs of training fees.
In my previous job, I was very fortunate to be in a company that valued skills and regularly sent staff for skills upgrading for both hard and soft skills. Despite the potential drawbacks, training and development provides both the company as a whole and the individual employees with benefits that make the cost and time a worthwhile investment. Training provides a series of planned learning experiences for individuals and builds their technical skills and business competencies. Training also helps to improve efficiency and can motivate employees to do well. This helps to make positive changes to the way in which they work and make decisions. It also helps individuals use the training to meet their individual needs and ambitions. Hopefully with the government formalizing skills upgrading, we can change employers’ mindset.
This leads me to the cost of taking up courses and whether $500 is sufficient for PMETs to adequately upgrade themselves. Many valuable courses may well-exceed $500. I understand from the Labour Minister yesterday in this house that, these credits are to be use to pay the net value of courses that are heavily funded. Will there be a sufficient and robust list of approved courses for individuals to choose from that can be covered by the $500? While I acknowledge that self-development and upgrading must be rooted in personal self-interest, and that for some no amount is really enough, we must also acknowledge the cost-of-living issues that many Singaporeans face today. Many working individuals will have to make tough decisions on whether to fork out a sum of money to invest in themselves or to save that money or use it for family expenses. I noted from the Finance Minister’s speech that the credits can be accumulated and there will be top-ups to pay for more expensive courses. I would like to find out how much and how often these top-ups are scheduled to be, since people may be less willing to commit to longer courses if they do not know how much they will end up having to fork out on their own.
There is still the supply of relevant and accreditable courses that the budget did not address. Are individuals free to choose training providers? Will there be enough relevant courses for people to take? Will there be job counsellors to guide and advise interested parties when it comes to choosing courses especially the elderly or those re-entering the workforce after some time? Will there be a minimum standard that trainers involved in these courses need to fulfill, an example will be, should these trainers be at least ACTA certified? More clarity should be provided on these questions.
One group of Singaporeans who would benefit from these credits is home-makers. Home-makers may find themselves out of touch with the requirements of their respective work industries after staying at home to look after their young children during their growing up years. Whether they have the confidence or ability to move back into the work force may depend on whether they can get adequate training to refresh and upgrade their skills. Apart from going back to the work force after their children grow up, home-makers can also make use of these credits to pick up skills that allow them to work from home or employed in companies that adopt flexible work practices. This is so that home-makers can take care of the family and work at the same time. However, this group of Singaporeans would also not have as much cash on hand given their lack of income, and often their families would already be finding it a challenge to manage on a single-income. Can family members transfer credits to one another since there is no expiry on credits, and it could benefit the family as well?
Skills Future Earn and Learn Programme
Madam, I move on to the next part of my speech that is about internships enhancements. In my speech on the Motion on ASPIRE, I’ve shared my internship experience, listed down the advantages and pointed out the challenges of implementing internships and apprenticeship programmes.
To recap, there should be consistency in terms of what students can expect to gain during their internships. There should be some formal programme structure that ensures beneficial outcomes for both students and employers. There are situations where employers see interns as cheap labour and are herded from one department to another to fill gaps in any manpower crunches without any focus on their development. While we don’t want to over-formalise practical training either, there must be some guidelines to ensure that students do gain from their experiences, are monitored and get significant work-ready skills. This should include having company orientations, regular mentorship and evaluation sessions and of course clearer goals, timelines and outcomes (including relevant certification) for both students and the company.
There must be adequate consultation between education institutions and companies from identified industries to ensure that programmes help students further develop their skills and learning, while in line with the needs and expectations of industries today.
Enhanced subsidies for mid-career Singaporeans
Lastly, subsidies of up to 90% will be handed out to all Singaporeans aged 40 and above. These training courses have to be funded by MOE and WDA, that is to say if one chooses a course not funded by MOE and WDA, they will not be eligible for subsidies. There are well developed professional courses in the market that has been proven to be useful. It will be good if the range of courses can be expanded so that every Singaporean can be given a choice to consider and benefit from the subsidies.
The government should also look at lowering the eligible age to facilitate mid-career changes which was the objective of this program. By doing so, Singaporeans have the opportunity to build up their expertise earlier and thus better contribute to the workforce. This is especially useful for women who become mothers and wish to change their career paths in order to spend more time with their children. The median age of mothers at first birth was about 30.4 and 30.5 in 2012 and 2013 respectively. So it would be reasonable to lower the eligible age to 35 so that the scheme can benefit more Singaporeans who would be looking to make that mid-career shift.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I am glad that we are investing in our people through lifelong learning. Regardless of background, age, income or chosen industry, they should all be given the chance to enhance their skills and experiences to empower them to take charge of their own career paths and direction in life. As the government invests more in this area, there is much we can do to facilitate how the culture of self-development is developed successfully. Investment in people will pay off, especially when paired with the right resources, a long-term strategy and commitment that both the government and its people must work towards to.
http://www.nptd.gov.sg/portals/0/homepage/highlights/population-in-brief-2014.pdf
By MP for Punggol East SMC, Lee Li Lian
[Delivered in Parliament on 5 Mar 2015]
Madam Speaker, Singapore has come a long way and this year we will be celebrating our nation’s first 50 years as an independent country. Our history is important. It shapes, molds and forms our country. Having said that, our future is equally critical and this year’s budget takes major steps in four areas to focus on building Singapore’s future. The Government investing more in our Nation’s most valuable assets, our people, is welcome and certainly the right thing to do.
Today I will focus my speech on the need to invest skills of the future, and empower every individual to learn and develop throughout their life.
Skills Future Credit
Technology is constantly evolving and changing the way things are being done. Processes that we considered common and had gotten used to for years can be done today more efficiently and effectively with the help of technological advancements. Jobs can be replaced by technology, never to return. When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. And to remain competitive, it is important for people to constantly adapt and adjust to stay relevant in an era of rapid technological advances and environmental change. To charter this course of self-development, skills upgrading and training are essential.
One of the highlights of this year’s budget is that all Singaporeans, above the age of 25, will receive an initial credit of $500 for work-related courses. That is to say even at the age of 70, one can continue to upgrade themselves. In Chinese we call this, 活到老学到老. It is true that people must be interested in getting themselves trained. They have to see the value training can bring them. If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you. However, at the same time, we can help enable the individual who is willing to take ownership of his or her life. Apart from providing a $500 credit for work-related courses we will need to address factors that might hamper the development of a culture of continued self-development. .
One reason why employees may not be going for the required skills upgrade could be the resistance they are getting from their respective companies.Training presents a prime opportunity to expand the knowledge base of all employees, but many employers find the development opportunities costly. Employees may need to be absent from work to attend a course or training, which may delay the completion of projects and scheduled work. Employers may also not be willing to bear some of the costs of training fees.
In my previous job, I was very fortunate to be in a company that valued skills and regularly sent staff for skills upgrading for both hard and soft skills. Despite the potential drawbacks, training and development provides both the company as a whole and the individual employees with benefits that make the cost and time a worthwhile investment. Training provides a series of planned learning experiences for individuals and builds their technical skills and business competencies. Training also helps to improve efficiency and can motivate employees to do well. This helps to make positive changes to the way in which they work and make decisions. It also helps individuals use the training to meet their individual needs and ambitions. Hopefully with the government formalizing skills upgrading, we can change employers’ mindset.
This leads me to the cost of taking up courses and whether $500 is sufficient for PMETs to adequately upgrade themselves. Many valuable courses may well-exceed $500. I understand from the Labour Minister yesterday in this house that, these credits are to be use to pay the net value of courses that are heavily funded. Will there be a sufficient and robust list of approved courses for individuals to choose from that can be covered by the $500? While I acknowledge that self-development and upgrading must be rooted in personal self-interest, and that for some no amount is really enough, we must also acknowledge the cost-of-living issues that many Singaporeans face today. Many working individuals will have to make tough decisions on whether to fork out a sum of money to invest in themselves or to save that money or use it for family expenses. I noted from the Finance Minister’s speech that the credits can be accumulated and there will be top-ups to pay for more expensive courses. I would like to find out how much and how often these top-ups are scheduled to be, since people may be less willing to commit to longer courses if they do not know how much they will end up having to fork out on their own.
There is still the supply of relevant and accreditable courses that the budget did not address. Are individuals free to choose training providers? Will there be enough relevant courses for people to take? Will there be job counsellors to guide and advise interested parties when it comes to choosing courses especially the elderly or those re-entering the workforce after some time? Will there be a minimum standard that trainers involved in these courses need to fulfill, an example will be, should these trainers be at least ACTA certified? More clarity should be provided on these questions.
One group of Singaporeans who would benefit from these credits is home-makers. Home-makers may find themselves out of touch with the requirements of their respective work industries after staying at home to look after their young children during their growing up years. Whether they have the confidence or ability to move back into the work force may depend on whether they can get adequate training to refresh and upgrade their skills. Apart from going back to the work force after their children grow up, home-makers can also make use of these credits to pick up skills that allow them to work from home or employed in companies that adopt flexible work practices. This is so that home-makers can take care of the family and work at the same time. However, this group of Singaporeans would also not have as much cash on hand given their lack of income, and often their families would already be finding it a challenge to manage on a single-income. Can family members transfer credits to one another since there is no expiry on credits, and it could benefit the family as well?
Skills Future Earn and Learn Programme
Madam, I move on to the next part of my speech that is about internships enhancements. In my speech on the Motion on ASPIRE, I’ve shared my internship experience, listed down the advantages and pointed out the challenges of implementing internships and apprenticeship programmes.
To recap, there should be consistency in terms of what students can expect to gain during their internships. There should be some formal programme structure that ensures beneficial outcomes for both students and employers. There are situations where employers see interns as cheap labour and are herded from one department to another to fill gaps in any manpower crunches without any focus on their development. While we don’t want to over-formalise practical training either, there must be some guidelines to ensure that students do gain from their experiences, are monitored and get significant work-ready skills. This should include having company orientations, regular mentorship and evaluation sessions and of course clearer goals, timelines and outcomes (including relevant certification) for both students and the company.
There must be adequate consultation between education institutions and companies from identified industries to ensure that programmes help students further develop their skills and learning, while in line with the needs and expectations of industries today.
Enhanced subsidies for mid-career Singaporeans
Lastly, subsidies of up to 90% will be handed out to all Singaporeans aged 40 and above. These training courses have to be funded by MOE and WDA, that is to say if one chooses a course not funded by MOE and WDA, they will not be eligible for subsidies. There are well developed professional courses in the market that has been proven to be useful. It will be good if the range of courses can be expanded so that every Singaporean can be given a choice to consider and benefit from the subsidies.
The government should also look at lowering the eligible age to facilitate mid-career changes which was the objective of this program. By doing so, Singaporeans have the opportunity to build up their expertise earlier and thus better contribute to the workforce. This is especially useful for women who become mothers and wish to change their career paths in order to spend more time with their children. The median age of mothers at first birth was about 30.4 and 30.5 in 2012 and 2013 respectively. So it would be reasonable to lower the eligible age to 35 so that the scheme can benefit more Singaporeans who would be looking to make that mid-career shift.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I am glad that we are investing in our people through lifelong learning. Regardless of background, age, income or chosen industry, they should all be given the chance to enhance their skills and experiences to empower them to take charge of their own career paths and direction in life. As the government invests more in this area, there is much we can do to facilitate how the culture of self-development is developed successfully. Investment in people will pay off, especially when paired with the right resources, a long-term strategy and commitment that both the government and its people must work towards to.
http://www.nptd.gov.sg/portals/0/homepage/highlights/population-in-brief-2014.pdf
[h=2]The Workers' Party[/h]"如何确保新加坡人在不同领域的职场上扮演主角，而不是配角。... 当新加坡人无法在自己国家的各个企业和机构里扮演重要的领导角色时，意味着新加坡在某种程度上失去了主导权；同时也无法培养年轻一代的新加坡人来接班，成为各领域里的领导人。 经济发展固然重要，但别忘了，经济发展只是手段，目标是国泰民安，敬业乐业的社会。" - Low Thia Khiang
Budget 2015 Speech – MP Low Thia Khiang
By MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang [Delivered in Parliament on 5 Mar 2015] 议长女士 2015年财政预算案是一个放眼未来50年的预算案
wp.sg
Daniel PS Goh
Mr Low has spoken. "Because when Singaporeans can't even be the leaders in their own countries' companies - to a certain extent - it means Singapore has lost the leadership role. We will not be able to develop the younger generation to take over and become leaders in various domains. We must have a comprehensive set-up plan to develop local talents and aim to replace foreigners with our own talent." -- CNA
Budget 2015 Speech – MP Low Thia Khiang
By MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang [Delivered in Parliament on 5 Mar 2015] 议长女士 2015年财政预算案是一个放眼未来50年的预算案
wp.sg
Chen Jiaxi Bernard
Mr Desmond Kuek, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of SMRT, added: “We apologise for the rail incidents over the past week. Our transport professionals are giving their all to make your journey a better one. The SMRT team will stay focused on safety and reliability improvements as we work to renew Singapore’s ageing rail network to the benefit of our commuters."
"Ageing rail network". I am floored. The East West Line is only twenty-seven years old, not two hundred and seventy years lei. The rest of the lines are new lines by any international parameters. The "oldest part" of the Circle Line was opened in 2009. Besides, Singapore does not face any major weather issues that may affect the rail network, unlike many other countries.
So koyak one, our trains. Nebermind, next year increase train fares again!
East West Line train service disrupted due to 'track fault'
SMRT sent out a tweet at 5.44pm on Tuesday (Mar 3) telling commuters to expect an additional 20 minutes travelling time from Tanjong Pagar to Jurong East towards Joo Koon as a result of a track fault.
www.channelnewsasia.com
RN & HHH speech are very much better than the First World Party (WP)
For the 3 yrs that passed, the co-driver n his stanbys are car washers(not co-driver),
polishing the white cars to its glaring gleam.
Talking so much about First World Parliamentry during election is only a hog-wash.
inderjit-singh-asked-govt-for-min-wage-scheme-again
MP Inderjit Singh’s famous Facebook post criticising the government
What has WP done in Parliament ?????
WP is a silent party.
EX-WP MP for Hougang Yaw Shin Leong also voted for PAP
WP think that the ground already had 40% hardcore opposition support.
Don't be so arrogant, WP voters will drop as many hardcore opposition supporter already give out the useless WP. I will void my vote if there is a WP contesting. Likewise many hardcore supporters also vote against the silent party.
WP good performance during GE2011 was mainly contribute by TR Emeritus, Bloggers and late JBJ trademark and not LTK frequent night wake visit.
Come GE 2016 I will urge many friends, brothers and sisters to void WP vote as WP is a fake opposition party.
MP Inderjit Singh’s famous Facebook post criticising the government
What has WP done in Parliament ?????
WP is a silent party.
EX-WP MP for Hougang Yaw Shin Leong also voted for PAP
WP think that the ground already had 40% hardcore opposition support.
Don't be so arrogant, WP voters will drop as many hardcore opposition supporter already give out the useless WP. I will void my vote if there is a WP contesting. Likewise many hardcore supporters also vote against the silent party.
WP good performance during GE2011 was mainly contribute by TR Emeritus, Bloggers and late JBJ trademark and not LTK frequent night wake visit.
Come GE 2016 I will urge many friends, brothers and sisters to void WP vote as WP is a fake opposition party.
[h=2]Daniel PS Goh[/h]
That's my worry there. I hope "integrated" doesn't mean highly structured, centralised and restrictive. "Responding" sounds reactive. I fear Singapore may become a gigantic school system, with streaming, tests and homework the bane of our whole life.
Skills-Now
Haven't had time to personally reflect on a landmark Budget. Left is Right, as Sylvia Lim puts it . One thing that struck me the most was the promotion of continuous reskilling at the level of...
danielpsgoh.com
The Workers' Party
"To have a culture of innovation, our young will need to read widely, consider different perspectives, think out of the box, and venture deep into subjects that may have no clear right and wrong answers. People will have to dare to question norms and find new solutions to old problems. They will need to dream big from young." - Yee Jenn Jong, JJ (余振忠)
Budget 2015 Speech – NCMP Yee Jenn Jong
By Non-Constituency MP, Yee Jenn Jong [Delivered in Parliament on 4 Mar 2015] Madam Speaker, I will cover two aspects of the Budget in my speech. First i
wp.sg
The Workers' Party
"With human capital as our only natural resource, a more forgiving attitude must be exercised towards people who may not have succeeded at the first instance either in an exam or at some other important career cross-junction. Equally important, the opportunity for skills upgrading and a second chance should be one every Singaporean must grab with both hands." - Pritam Singh
Budget 2015 Speech – MP Pritam Singh
By MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh [Delivered in Parliament on 4 Mar 2015] Madam Speaker, A major theme of this year’s Budget revolves around prepari
wp.sg
The Workers' Party
"Puan, akhirkata, saya harap pemerintah dapat membuat penilaian yang serius tentang cadangan-cadangan yang telah diutarakan agar skim-skim yang disebutkan diatas akan mendatangkan lebih maanfaat kepada masyarakat Singapura secara keseluruhannya, ini sesuai dengan objektif pemerintah untuk membina sebuah masyarakat yang saksama dan inklusif." - Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap
Budget 2015 Speech – MP Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap
By MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap [Delivered in Parliament on 4 Mar 2015] Puan, Belanjawan 2015, pada pandangan saya, membawa mesej
wp.sg
The Workers' Party
"Madam, the ownership of our CPF savings is never in doubt. The monies in the CPF belong to each and every one of us but this ownership assurance is cold comfort to people who cannot access their life savings due to moving targets caused by inflation, life expectancy, and the intended pegging of the Draw Down Age to Retirement Age." - PNG ENG HUAT
Budget 2015 Speech – MP Png Eng Huat
By MP for Hougang SMC, Png Eng Huat [Delivered in Parliament on 4 Mar 2015] Madam Speaker, I welcome the initiatives outlined in Budget 2015 to support and in
wp.sg
The Workers' Party
"The government should also look at lowering the eligible age to facilitate mid-career changes which was the objective of this program...This is especially useful for women who become mothers and wish to change their career paths in order to spend more time with their children." - Lee Li Lian （李丽连）
Budget 2015 Speech – MP Lee Li Lian
By MP for Punggol East SMC, Lee Li Lian [Delivered in Parliament on 5 Mar 2015] Madam Speaker, Singapore has come a long way and this year we will be celebr
wp.sg
The Workers' Party
"如何确保新加坡人在不同领域的职场上扮演主角，而不是配角。... 当新加坡人无法在自己国家的各个企业和机构里扮演重要的领导角色时，意味着新加坡在某种程度上失去了主导权；同时也无法培养年轻一代的新加坡人来接班，成为各领域里的领导人。
经济发展固然重要，但别忘了，经济发展只是手段，目标是国泰民安，敬业乐业的社会。" - Low Thia Khiang
Budget 2015 Speech – MP Low Thia Khiang
By MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang [Delivered in Parliament on 5 Mar 2015] 议长女士 2015年财政预算案是一个放眼未来50年的预算案
wp.sg
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