Mr Roy Shia is 62, but that has not slowed his yearning for learning. 

Throughout his 25 years with local rice importer and distributor Tong Seng Produce, Mr Shia has known one job: Sales. He started as a sales representative before progressing to supervisory and managerial roles.

Now, for the first time in his career, he can claim complex skills far beyond selling. He has broadened his horizon with knowledge of robotic process automation, data analytics and fleet management, thanks to a two-day SkillsFuture Digital Workplace training programme conducted by NTUC Learning Hub.

“I hope I can be a role model to my mature colleagues,” says the sales manager, “to show that continuous learning is key to remaining relevant to the present business landscape.” 

The programme, which took place in October last year, was sponsored by Tong Seng as part of the company’s ongoing business transformation journey.
 
Established in 1990, the company is perhaps best known for its SongHe Fragrant rice brand. 

With over three decades in business, Tong Seng Produce saw the need to evolve to increase productivity and reduce wastage. 

The opportunity for upskilling arose when its customer, supermarket chain Sheng Siong, approached Tong Seng to participate in the SkillsFuture Queen Bee programme. 

The programme is a SkillsFuture Singapore initiative where industry leaders or “queen bees”, guide and mentor small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in identifying and acquiring the skills needed to grow their business.

More than 20 queen bee companies, such as Sheng Siong, have helped over 900 enterprises since the launch of the initiative in 2019.

Says Ms Ally Ng, marketing director at Tong Seng Produce: “As we upgrade and automate our systems, we need to upskill staff to perform higher-value work and at the same time retain our mature workers by reducing physical work where possible.”

Just over 60 per cent of Tong Seng’s 118-strong workforce is over the age of 40, shares Ms Ng, who declined to disclose her age.

Mr Lim Hock Chee, 61, CEO of Sheng Siong Group says: “Sheng Siong has always been very proactive in sharing with industry players and SMEs our transformation journey. We joined the SkillsFuture Queen Bee programme in June last year to partner SkillsFuture Singapore and jointly reach out to suppliers to improve their internal resources and infrastructure.

“Most importantly, we hope to communicate to the top management of SMEs the importance of workplace learning and continuous upskilling.”

People first 

Tong Seng employees like Mr Shia attended the SkillsFuture Digital Workplace course during which Sheng Siong shared case studies of how it navigated its own transformation journey.

“Before the SkillsFuture Queen Bee programme, we had the mindset that digital transformation was about putting technology first,” says Ms Ng. “But Sheng Siong inspired us that people are at the heart of any transformation, digital or otherwise.”

She adds that Tong Seng will be adopting Sheng Siong’s SkillsFuture Queen Bee framework of People, Process, Technology, Data for its digitalisation, business decisions and employee development. 

In adopting new frameworks and digitalisation, employees must be equipped with the relevant skill sets. “The key for a successful transformation is upskilling our employees, as we embark on our digitalisation and automation journey,” says Ms Ng.

That is why training employees like Mr Shia is crucial. 

As a sales manager, his job involves planning promotions with supermarket category managers and managing sales representatives. 

His newly acquired knowledge will enable him to understand how, for instance, data analytics could be applied to improve productivity. 

Says Mr Shia: “I am grateful for the opportunity to learn about today’s technologies and keep up with the changing environment. We need to learn how to use technology so that it benefits us.”

Last December, SkillsFuture Singapore released a report — Skills Demand For The Future Economy — which identifies the in-demand skills needed in Singapore. Among them were tech-heavy technology development skills for digital transformation efforts and tech-lite skills such as data analytics and technology application.

Staying relevant

What also benefited Tong Seng was finding out how Sheng Siong made the knowledge exchange relevant for them, says Ms Ng. 

The opportunity to gain an insight into Sheng Siong’s operating process with its suppliers through a supplier portal was particularly invaluable. 

“Seeing how things worked from their perspective gave us insights on how we could optimise our internal processes to integrate seamlessly with our customers,” she says.

More could be done, she feels, to eliminate or reduce inefficiencies in Tong Seng’s processes if employees were cross-trained in different functions. 

To do so, the company plans to undergo training at the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning to implement an on-the-job training blueprint that would map out the training roadmap for employees. 

Says Ms Ng: “At the end of the day, one should be motivated to be responsible for their own learning and upskilling journey. Learning should be a top-down approach initiated by management, as well as a bottom-up, staff-initiated approach.”

What is the SkillsFuture Queen Bee initiative? 

It is an initiative that aims to create a skills support network, where industry leaders support companies — particularly SMEs — in identifying and acquiring the skills needed for their growth. 

Companies that have joined the programme as “queen bees” include Microsoft, Bosch Rexroth Regional Training Centre, Boustead Projects, Commune Lifestyle, Fidelium Group, Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital, Prudential Singapore, Sheng Siong and Shopee Singapore. 

How does the SkillsFuture Queen Bee initiative work? 

A skills manager will work with the company to identify their skill gaps and introduce relevant training programmes to address these needs. They will also provide guidance on relevant jobs, resources and government schemes that companies can leverage.

There is no cost to join the SkillsFuture Queen Bee network. For more information, head to go.gov.sg/skillsfuturequeenbee.

This is the final of a four-part series in partnership with SkillsFuture Singapore