SINGAPORE: Local employment in the Infocomm Technology (ICT) sector grew by about 4,000 over the last year, of which about 900 were professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) who switched jobs through the Adapt and Grow initiative, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said on Friday (Nov 2).
Pointing out that some new entrants to the ICT sector are people who moved to different job roles within the same company, she said this means that employers are creating growth opportunities for their staff.
AdvertisementShe said: “In the whole year, we see that across the board, the Adapt and Grow (Initiative) as well as the Professional Conversion Programme have got good momentum and if we keep going at it, I think whether it is the employers or the job seekers, they will both be better off.”
The Adapt and Grow initiative is aimed at helping workers adapt to changing job demands and grow their skills in the new economy. The Professional Conversion Programme, which facilitates mid-career transitions, is part of the initiative.
Senior Minister of State for Transport and Communications and Information, Dr Janil Puthucheary, emphasised that the Professional Conversion Programme is not only for PMETs but young professionals as well.
He stressed that Singapore needs to make sure these young professionals understand that moving forward, they too will need to participate in the process.
AdvertisementAdvertisement“They are an important part of the cultural change we need to adopt, this is not just about the mature PMETs, this is something for all of us," he said.
Mrs Teo and Dr Puthucheary were speaking during a tour of technology firm Hewlett Packard (HP), which employed some of these mid-career professionals.
One of them is 46-year-old Sam New, a supply chain analyst who has been with the company for more than 20 years and has benefited from the Adapt and Grow initiative.
“I have been through different jobs and functions in the past 24 years with HP. With the years of experience, I believe I can contribute more given the new knowledge," he said.
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