MOM Should Organise More Practical On-The-Job Internships Instead of Theory Based Courses To Help Upskill Workers

The Global Recession coupled with the twin terror attacks of Co-VID 19 and Dengue Fever has affected businesses in Singapore especially among SME’s. Till to date as many as 45 businesses on record has wound up their operations after running into deficit. The Government has responded by urging PMET’s and those out of jobs to go for upgrading courses so that more job vacancies are available for these affected people. Many learning institutions has started WSQ courses which are competency based and most courses are minimum 3 days long and maximum 5 days week. Sadly in intensive based industries; such theory based courses is counter productive. Take for example in an automobile workshop where one learns the trade not based on classroom theory but hands on, On The Job Training (OJT). Hence Government is paying these Learning Institutes for the courses but the prime objective is not met and when these newly graded applicants are hired based on theory competency often they do not lasts long as they are not able to learn and master the trade skills. I feel if the policy can be tweaked where instead of theory based courses, Govt matches applicants directly to the automobile workshop for internship. During the internship Govt is to pay the trainee an allowance of S$500/- and S$1000/- to the Company that conducts the OJT’s.

In this way it will be a win-won situation for both the applicant and SME bosses. This will in turn boost our economies of scale which definitely cannot be achieved via class room based theory lessons.

Also in order for SME’s to be able to continue operating their business amidst this gloomy period, I urge MOM to remove the cap of hiring Malaysian skilled technicians and mechanics to enable these automobile workshops to continue running their business. Presently if I am not wrong there is a cap where in order to hire 5 Malaysian skilled workers the employer must employ 1 Singapore Citizen. IN times of recession there should be exceptions to the rule.

Affected SME Worker