Government of Singapore allocates S$72 Mn to boost workforce development

The Government of Singapore has earmarked S$72 million until 2020 to augment workforce development and training in the built environment sector until 2020. The Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong announced this at the inaugural iBuildSG Scholarship and Sponsorship Ceremony.

As part of this move, several training initiatives will be taken. Enhancements will be made to the iBuildSG Scholarship and Sponsorship programme for the full-time undergraduate, diploma, and Institute of Technical Education tracks. Recipients can get training upon starting full-time employment at the sponsoring firm. Beyond their bond period, graduates can also opt for a further training grant of S$3,000 to upgrade their skills. Graduates who continue their career in the BE sector for an extra year will receive a retention incentive of S$7,000. The Building and Construction Authority will also involve students through the iBuildSG Club for students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions. 

A new tripartite committee will also be formed by the first quarter of 2019 to work out career pathways for Singaporeans in the built environment sector, which will comprise of stakeholders from institutes of higher learning, trade associations, and unions.

The Building Specialist Sponsorship (BSS) will be revamped with one additional year of support under the revised three-year program, to better align with the part-time NITEC, Higher NITEC, and post-ITE development courses.  

 “We hope that the enhancements made to the iBuildSG Scholarship and Sponsorship programme will continue to attract and retain talent in our sector,” Hugh Lim, CEO, BCA, said.