PMEs make up nearly one quarter of workers to benefit from NTUC Company Training Committee Grant

• Company feature: ST Engineering is one of many that bear testament to NTUC’s efforts in supporting PMEs through CTC and CTC Grant projects.
• Close to 40 per cent of employees benefitting from ST Engineering’s CTC Grant projects are PMEs.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) will continue its efforts to support the growing pool of Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) in Singapore¹ . As part of its continued commitment to journey alongside PMEs, NTUC shared the outcomes of the Company Training Committee (CTC) and CTC Grant initiatives that will benefit PMEs, ahead of NTUC’s May Day 2024 celebrations.

As of March 2024, a total of 3,062 workers across 150 unique companies with approved CTC Grants stand to benefit from an average wage increase of 5 per cent on top of their annual increment or from career development plans². Nearly one quarter or 727 of these workers, are PMEs from 61 companies with approved CTC Grants. The CTC Grant, administered by NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), funds projects to raise productivity, redesign jobs and upskill workers.

The CTC is an innovation mooted by NTUC in February 2019 to help companies achieve higher productivity and enable workers to upskill and reskill in tandem with business transformations. Since then, NTUC has formed over 2,000 CTCs³ and is on track to set up 2,500 CTCs by 2025.

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said, “It is encouraging that NTUC is upporting over 3,000 workers, including nearly a quarter of them being PMEs, through the Company Training Committees Grant. With more PMEs in our workforce today, NTUC stands ready to represent their interests and ensure that their wages, welfare and work prospects are prioritised too. We are committed to safeguarding jobs by equipping workers with the skills needed to adapt and thrive in the face of evolving trends and technological advancements reshaping the workplace.”

ST Engineering leverages CTC Grant to uplift employees’ livelihoods with higher wages or career development
In July 2021, ST Engineering established a CTC with ST Engineering Staff Union (STESU). Through the CTC platform, Industry Training Officers from NTUC Industry Training and Transformation (IT&T) and STESU worked closely with the company management to address business needs and challenges, identify training gaps and formulate targeted solutions for the training and upskilling of employees.

ST Engineering is one of the pioneer companies to apply for and be awarded the CTC Grant. The Group has a total of 12 CTC Grant projects across its Land Systems, Commercial Aerospace, Defence Aerospace, and Marine businesses, benefiting over 150 employees. Among these 12 projects, four are led by ST Engineering Land Systems, which NTUC SG Ng visited today.

Recognising the areas for business transformation and development of workforce capabilities, ST Engineering Land Systems leveraged the CTC Grant in October 2022 to embark on its first CTC Grant project. ST Engineering Land Systems has committed to implement four CTC Grant projects, namely the Telescopic Cobot Welding, Robotics Spray Painting, 3D Scanning and a robotics project that is currently in progress.

During the visit to ST Engineering Land Systems, SG Ng witnessed the demonstration of two CTC Grant projects – Robotics Spray Painting and 3D Scanning. Both projects leveraged new technologies and automation to improve productivity and minimise labour intensive tasks. The projects addressed challenges posed by shortages of skilled manpower whilst upskilling employees to be future-ready to operate and handle new technologies. As a result, the company experienced enhanced productivity, shorter development timelines, and employees were able to acquire new skills through upskilling and reskilling initiatives. For more information on these CTC Grant projects, please refer to Annex A.

ST Engineering Land Systems prioritised not only the welfare of its employees, but also their wages and career development plans, particularly for those involved in the CTC Grant projects. The four CTC Grant projects led by ST Engineering Land Systems had impacted 77 employees, of which 31 employees or 40 per cent are PMEs.

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[1] Oral Answer to PQ on Ensuring new jobs go to Singapore citizens and residents,April 2024, https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/parliament-questions-and-replies/2024/0402-oral-answer-to-pq-on-ensuring-new-jobs-go-to-sc-and-pr
[2] 150 companies have committed to giving 3,062 workers an average wage increase of an average 5% on top of their annual increment or benefit from career development plans.
[3] As of March 2024