A new business network has been launched to help firms involved in the logistics sector here to improve their supply chain efforts - especially when it comes to staff.
New hires at firms tapping into this resource stand to benefit from mentoring, on-the-job development and other valuable expertise from experienced industry players.
Firms can also seek grants of up to $120,000 per staff member under the Government's Adapt and Grow initiative.
Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck, the guest of honour at the launch, said small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to boost their human resource capabilities and find workers with the right skills, quality and fit.
He was speaking at the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises' (Asme) HR seminar, The Human Aspect of Business, on Monday, held in conjunction with the launch of the Supply Chain and Logistics (SCL) Corporate Network.
The network - the first such logistics network here - is managed by the Supply Chain and Logistics Academy (Scala), with the support of the Singapore National Employers Federation, Human Capital Singapore, Employment and Employability Institute, and National Trades Union Congress.
Asme president Kurt Wee told The Straits Times it is essential for business owners to "learn new business models, the ways in which economies are scaling, and how to segment between processes requiring human capital and those that can be driven by machines, in order to figure out how to scale their businesses".
With a pioneer batch of 141 companies with functions linked to the supply chain and logistics industry, the network aims to help members enhance supply chain capabilities, particularly in terms of human capital.
In his speech, Mr Teo highlighted the importance of the supply chain and logistics industry in all businesses. He encouraged companies to join the network, which has 250 vacancies.
The network matches member firms in search of supply chain and logistics professionals to mid-career professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
New PMET hires with no prior experience can acquire relevant knowledge and skills through the Professional Conversion Programme by Scala and Workforce Singapore. SMEs can also tap the Career Support Programme to receive extra salary support of up to $3,500 a month when hiring retrenched or unemployed Singaporeans, or P-Max, a one-off incentive for SMEs to hire PMETs. Both are programmes under Scala.
"Scala helps SMEs uncover areas of value and this creates jobs for the future. We enhance their capability development, return them to the industry, and they in turn grow the industry. It is a virtuous cycle," Scala chief executive Ian Dyason told The Straits Times.
