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Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will get more money to send their staff for productivity training. This is part of the Manpower Ministry's plans to develop targeted programmes to help SMEs which hire nearly six out of every 10 workers here.

Details will be announced next month.

Speaking at his Ministry's workplan seminar on Monday, its Minister Gan Kim Yong also announced greater recognition for the Workforce Skills Qualifications programme.

As Singapore's economy transforms, a bigger role awaits the Manpower, and Trade and Industry ministries in the national drive to raise productivity, said Mr Gan Kim Yong.

One area is strengthening the framework of skills qualifications.

The Workforce Skills Qualification system will now be recognised as a national credential.

It will be included in the Singapore Standard Educational Classification to give a more accurate profile of the quality of the workforce.

Mr Gan said: "This is a significant milestone as it signals employer recognition, as well as opens up more career pathways and opportunities for the workforce."

MOM will also need to focus on helping the workforce raise productivity through Continuing Education and Training (CET).

Mr Gan said: "We must also ensure that the CET programmes are delivered effectively. Therefore, we must continue to enhance the quality of our CET providers and the competency of our trainers.

“This month, WDA's Institute for Adult Learning has started a new Diploma Programme in Adult and Continuing Education. The course will help deepen the capability of our curriculum developers, trainers, assessors and other CET professionals.

“In particular, we will need to build up our capacity for PMETs given that they now make up more than half of our local workforce. Like rank and file workers, PMETs will need to also upgrade themselves constantly to stay relevant and contribute to productivity improvements."

Another challenge is to get SMEs on the productivity transformation path.

Bob Tan, vice-president, Singapore National Employers Federation, said: "Many SMEs just focus on day-to-day operations. So when it comes to taking on board new technologies and new innovative ways of doing things, they may not necessarily be aware of it.

“By helping to get them up to speed and incentives to help them get automated - particularly industry-wide productivity improvement, that would certainly go a long way. Training is part and parcel. You can train at the worker level. But training employers about new processes they can adopt is also very important."

So the Workforce Development Agency will work with SPRING to develop the training programmes and these include customised workshops and diagnostic tools to help SMEs implement productivity measures.

In its efforts to encourage the entire workforce in Singapore to increase productivity levels, the Manpower Ministry is also doing its part by walking the talk.

It has decided to set up a one-stop customer service centre in Bendemeer Road by 2012, bringing together many of its services involving foreign manpower and workplace safety and health, all under one roof.

The S$73 million centre will be located near the Potong Pasir MRT Station.

CNA/vm