$13m fund to help workers upgrade their skills
Purchase this article for republication
Buy SPH photos
For 35 years, Mr Ong Thian Sang drove technicians to inspect the 10,000 power substations dotted all over Singapore.
Now, the 61-year-old is qualified to conduct the checks himself after his employer, Singapore Power, sent him on a five-month course this year which made him a certified technician.
His monthly pay also rose from $1,500 to $1,750 - a 17 per cent hike.
To nudge more firms to help workers upgrade their skills to earn higher pay, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) yesterday launched a $13 million training fund for those in the oil, petrochemical, energy and chemical sectors.
Background story
'Besides training those already in the sectors, part of the fund will be used by firms as training allowances for new hires.'
