More funding for older professionals making mid-career switches

Boost for those seeking mid-career switch
Govt to foot up to 90% of workers' pay while they go for retraining
By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 14 Nov 2014

OLDER professionals diving into a new industry will have more funding during training, as the Government recognises the growing number of people making mid-career switches.

Companies that hire and train these workers under the Singapore Workforce Development Agency's (WDA) professional conversion programmes will get more help footing the salary bill. Up to 90 per cent, capped at $4,000, of the employees' monthly salaries will be paid by the Government for the duration of the training.

Post by Singapore Ministry of Manpower.

This applies to professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) aged 40 and above, or who have been jobless for more than six months. Others will still be eligible for the existing funding of up to 70 per cent, capped at $2,000.

"With enhanced funding support, employers would be able to pay salaries which are commensurate with mid-career PMEs' experience and skills," said Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Health Amy Khor, who announced the changes yesterday.

This should help workers "take the plunge" and get jobs in new industries when jobs are lost due to restructuring, Dr Khor told reporters after an event at the Lifelong Learning Institute in Paya Lebar.

The extra funding is available in five sectors such as infocomm technology and social work. But the authorities are "actively working on" identifying other industries, she added. The changes are targeted at mature workers and those facing long-term unemployment as these groups are more vulnerable to redundancy and face challenges in getting a new job.

Singapore Human Resources Institute president Erman Tan said the move could help equip the workforce with skills more relevant to the economy's needs. "Companies can also relook their training strategy since the cost for them to invest in the workforce is now getting minimal," he said.

To further help PMEs find upgrading courses and do career planning, an online resource portal - www.CareerResource.sg - was also launched yesterday.

Dr Khor said that with the enhanced funding, some 8,000 PMEs should be able to benefit from professional conversion programmes over the next six years.

So far, 6,100 people have been trained under the programmes from 2007 to last year.

One of them is Ms Seet Chia Puay, 33, a pre-school teacher at Agape Little Uni @ Orange Grove. She made the move two years ago after working in audit and finance for 10 years, as she felt her career was stagnating and she wanted more family time with her two young daughters.

Over 15 months, she spent half her working day at work and the other half in training, which allowed her to put new knowledge into practice straight away.

"We could also share our day- to-day problems with the lecturer, which was a great help for novice teachers like us," she said, adding that she is pursuing a diploma which will qualify her to be a pre- school principal.

Mr Ng Wee Lee, owner of Agape Little Uni @ Orange Grove, said the place-and-train programme is a boon for employers as it widens the pool of workers who will have early childhood education qualifications.

"The programme attracts people to the industry, and the funding makes us more willing to give new hires a chance," he said.

New career resource portal launched for PMEs

By Xue Jianyue, TODAY, 14 Nov 2014

A new career resource portal (www.CareerResource.sg) has been launched to help Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) gain better access to job and training opportunities and locate useful career-related information, announced Senior Minister of State (Manpower and Health) Dr Amy Khor today (Nov 14).

It will provide a one-stop suite of comprehensive resources for PMEs on career development, training and employment assistance. The portal will also feature the relevant Government and unions’ PME events, programmes and services.

Speaking at the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA)’s Lifelong Learning Institute, Dr Khor said the Government recognises that PMEs form an important and growing part of the workforce.

She also announced enhanced Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) to help PMEs who wish to switch careers and secure new jobs in different industries.

“The Government recognises that PMEs form an important and growing part of our workforce, as we continue to create quality PME jobs for our people. These new initiatives are part of tripartite efforts to build a career-resilient PME workforce with skills that meet the evolving needs of the economy,” said Dr Khor.

Under the enhanced PCP, WDA will increase the monthly salary support given to employers who hire PMEs, from the current 70 per cent of monthly salary, subject to a cap of S$2,000, to up to 90 per cent of the monthly salary, subject to a cap of S$4,000.

The enhanced support applies to industries or sectors that have existing as well as upcoming PCPs in the place-and-train mode.

The new portal is a tripartite effort by the Manpower Ministry, WDA, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF).