Are you interested in joining the exciting and dynamic media sector? No media background, no media experience, no problem. Read on!

 

Mr Chan Meng Kit, our profile feature, did not have any media experience, nor knowledge, but yet he is now employed to do new media marketing! You can follow his footsteps and fulfil your dream of working in the media industry. Read on to find out how that is possible.

Trainees undergoing Basic HD Production training

On 14 November 2011, 21 media employers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and Singapore Media Academy (SMA) to build a pipeline of skilled talent for the media industry. These media employers will send their staff for Creative Industries WSQ (CI WSQ) training according to their talent development and upgrading objectives. The CI WSQ courses offered are in the areas of Broadcast Journalism, Film & TV Production and Directing, Cinematography, Camera, Sound and Lighting Operations, Editing, Sales & Media Marketing, Writing and Strategy Planning, and were developed closely by WDA and SMA.

Our Productivity Story

Which company is most productive? We leave it to you to decide.

Singled out as one of the 12 key sectors that the Government will be focusing its productivity efforts on, the tourism sector is certainly not sitting on its laurels. As a sector that contributes a significant share to GDP and employing a large number of workers, it is important that it continues to flourish in a sustainable manner.

Hence, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) is supporting the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s (PATA) “Our Productivity Story” competition.

The annual competition received a total of 58 submissions from companies and six finalists have emerged after a intensive qualifying round.

Following the pre-event seminar where the judges have cast their votes, the deciding factor is now in your hands. The finalists have each produced a short video on their productivity stories and PATA has posted it on YouTube for all to vote for the best story. Voters also stand a chance to win an Apple iPad2.

Cool Media Job: New Media Marketing.

 

Featuring our Social Media Marketing Talent, Mr Chan Meng Kit.

We are delighted to have with us, Mr Chan Meng Kit (right), who holds a Cool Media Job, to share with us his working experience.

Read below for his interview with our Social Media Team!

1)    What do you do?

I am the Assistant Manager at Brandcore. Brandcore is a boutique brand development company that strategise brand development across several industries and sectors. My job scope includes Account Management, Project Management, assisting clients with their events, devising marketing plans and social media plans, and the day-to-day administration and operation of the company.

New ICT-STEP Scholarships for Singaporeans working in the IT Industry.

WDA has allocated S$1 million to fund postgraduate scholarships, the ICT-STEP Scholarships, for Singaporeans working in the IT industry who want to improve their skills.

This was announced at the Infocomm Industry Forum 2011  held on Tuesday, 25 Oct by Mr Eddie Chau, Chairman of Singapore infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF).

The Skills Training for Excellence Programme (STEP) is an initiative jointly launched by the Ministry of Manpower and the WDA to help Professionals, Managers, Executive and Technicians (PMETs) to update their skills, knowledge and expertise to remain competitive in today’s global business climate.

Here’s some inspiration for you- Successful faces of the floristry industry!

 

Bouquet tying skills demonstration by Lee Ngo, a Floristry WSQ Graduate employed by Tropifame Floral.

Lee Ngo’s background was in hair and beauty, as well as fashion retail. She chanced upon Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA)’s Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) programme in the papers, took up the course and has since been doing well. Today, she continues to upgrade herself with full support from her employer.

A Sea of Career Opportunities

Local workers can chart new waters in their careers via the Maritime Manpower Advancement Programme (Maritime MAP) jointly unveiled by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).

The bipartite initiative aims to let workers sail towards abundant job opportunities in the maritime industry in seafaring positions such as steersmen, Special Limits Officers or deck officers onboard ocean-going vessels. To show them the ropes, the Maritime MAP will address issues such as screening and recruiting workers, providing funding and training allowances as well as securing industry placements.

Stop! Security Check!

This hands-up mannequin unmistakably depicts many a scene we watch from Crimewatch or Law & Order. It was actually one of the various striking exhibits spotted at the Security Industry Conference and Exhibition.

The event took place on 12 and 13 October at the Suntec Convention Centre and is a strong booster to the security industry. It convened all key representatives from the security industry and engaged them in a dynamic exchange of insights, trends and knowledge about what we know of security and more today.

The conference theme is about ‘Enhancing Productivity Level in the Security Industry’. Various heavyweight speakers and industry experts were brought in to share their rich insights to some 300 participants present. Topics ranged from crime, hotel and casino security to bombing and terrorism – all the hottest global security issues at the moment! 

Gateway for Continuing Education and Training

7 October 2011 saw the groundbreaking ceremony for the new National Continuing Education and Training (CET) Campus West, which will be named after Mr Devan Nair, founding Secretary-General of the labour movement in Singapore and a former president of Singapore.

The CET Campus West is situated in the Jurong Lake District, a convenient location easily accessible by public transport networks. For a start, a variety of training programmes will be offered, such as Digital Animation, Media, Early Childhood Care & Education, Healthcare, Human Resource, Landscape and Workplace Safety and Health.

Fashionably Sustainable Competition Winner @ Paris Fashion Week!

Ms Chew Yixin was one of the winners of the Fashionably Sustainable Competition, which was held earlier on 8 September 2011. She won an entry pass to the prestigious Paris Fashion Week with a return air ticket, accommodation fully paid and received $1,500 cash prize.

Here, she shares her experience with us on her trip:

Before I left for Paris, I told myself, I’ve got to make this trip worthwhile. Afterall, I’ve come a long way to be where I am now, from not having any experience in the fashion industry, to be a winner of the inaugural Fashionably Sustainable Competition.

The Winning Formula

At the launch of the world’s first Computerised Adaptive Business Chinese Test on 17 September 2011, Ms Low Yen Ling (MP and CEO of Business China) penned the last stroke of the ‘赢’ Chinese character.

Why the character 赢? If we dissect the word, it actually consists of five individual characters – each with a world of meaning.

• 亡, or LOSS – Being passive in business will result in loss. Take steps to advance your skill sets and enlarge your world.
• 口, or MOUTH – Communicating in the right cultural context to bring your ideas in the language your clients understand.
• 月, or MONTH – Time is of the essence. Advance your career with Business Chinese.
• 贝, or CURRENCY – Business Chinese is a valuable currency in the Chinese market.
• 凡, or ORDINARY – An ordinary skill takes on extraordinary life when you choose to use it to your best advantage.

Recognising Excellence in Human Capital Management

HCL Technologies Ltd and Manila Water Company Inc won the prestigious Asian Human Capital Award this morning. This was in recognition of the efforts they had put in to develop and implement outstanding human capital practices, and spurring their businesses into cornerstones of their respective fields.

For HCL, it was the adoption of a groundbreaking employee model – “Employees First Customers Second” – that recognises employees as strategic elements of an organisation. This unconventional management philosophy fired the imagination of both employees and customers, and transformed HCL from a brand losing market share and customers to an organisation that delivered accelerated growth. It is now one of the fastest-growing and profitable global IT services companies.

For Manila Water, the development of its human capital is a keystone of its corporate transformation. Over the last 14 years, it has undergone a process of evolution that was characterised by a strong collaboration between Management and its workforce, good business foresight, a comprehensive approach to human capital development, and a deep resolve to continuously invest for the development of its employees. Once a languishing local water provider, it is now one of the world’s best operators in water delivery.

Also honoured at the awards was Unilever Asia Pte Ltd, which received the Special Commendation Prize for its regional strategic talent development programmes that set out a vision to double the size of the company whilst reducing their environmental impact.

HCL Technologies Ltd, Manila Water Company Inc and Unilever Asia Pte Ltd will be participating in the Asian Human Capital Award Forum on 30 September 2011 in a post-Summit session, where they will share their winning people strategies with the forum participants.

Congratulations to HCL and Manila Water for winning the Asian Human Capital Award, and to Unilever Asia for winning the Special Commendation Prize!

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Investing in Human Capital to ride on growth of Asia’s business landscape

This morning, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong officially opened the 4th Singapore Human Capital Summit. During his speech, ESM Goh noted that the growth of Asia’s business landscape has presented tremendous opportunities for companies, and that Singapore can play a role in helping companies develop and execute effective human capital strategies for Asia.

Taking advantage of these opportunities will require the right human capital strategies and ESM Goh shared Singapore’s experience in three key areas:

“First, companies need to invest in and develop strong leaders. We do this for our political leadership and public sector. Most of our larger private sector companies do likewise. Asia’s business environment is diverse and complex because there are many countries with different forms of government and at different stages of development. This presents challenges for business leaders looking to ride on Asia’s growth potential. Senior executives, whether Asia-based or otherwise, need a deep understanding of the varied business, regulatory and human capital landscape in Asia. They need to be familiar with local attitudes and practices, and be able to develop customised business strategies.”

“Second, businesses need to attract and retain the best talent. Even though we know this we may still not be fully aware of what it takes to succeed. So last year, the Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) commissioned a study of professionals and graduating students in 6 global cities. The study found that factors such as training and development, job opportunities and career advancement are the main drivers for talent attraction. Softer factors such as work-life harmony, workplace flexibility, creativity and innovation are essential for employee engagement and retention.”

“Third, businesses need to improve the productivity of their workforce. Asia cannot continue to rely on low cost labour to attract investment. Companies across the region are now facing growing wage pressures. To remain viable and attractive as an investment location, Asia needs to raise workforce productivity and skills.”

To fully harness the growth potential of Asia, companies will need to adapt swiftly to stay efficient and relevant. Having the right Asia-centric human capital strategy will be crucial for developing the leaders and talent necessary to achieve this.

What do you think? Share your thoughts with us on www.facebook.com/WDASingapore

For the full copy of ESM Goh’s speech, please click here.

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Weaving the Theme

The Singapore Human Capital Summit 2011 is just two days away, where an international cast of C-level speakers will be touching on topics ranging from driving business performance, “future-proofing” organisations and developing talent, to challenges and opportunities in emerging industries.

As Asia continues to drive the global economy, some of the biggest challenges include taking into account the region's unique talent and leadership development needs, and to fill this demand for talent and build a robust leadership framework.

Amidst the diverse line-up of topics, one common thread runs through and that is the theme for this year’s summit - “People Strategies for Asia - Capitalising on Asia's Growth Engines'.

The Theme Weaver

With intensive discussions centering on the latest thinking, research findings and case studies, the key to optimising the experience of participants is to weave together the different presentations into the main theme. That essentially is the critical role of the Summit’s Theme Weaver, to give a sense of cohesion and completion.

This year, that task will fall on Professor Narayan Pant, a Professor of Management Practice in Strategy at INSEAD. Currently the Academic Director of INSEAD's Advanced Management Programme, Professor Narayan helps companies formulate and implement strategies to bring about valuable organisational transformations.

With his multinational background working with companies in Asia, Europe and the Americas, Professor Narayan will seek to create a learning journey and to connect each piece of the puzzle for the participants.

Join us and Professor Narayan at the Summit as we engage international business leaders on human capital and leadership issues confronting businesses operating in Asia.

For more information, please visit http://www.singaporehcsummit.com

 

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Bringing to life leading-edge human capital and leadership practices from Asia

An exciting knowledge showcase awaits all at the 4th Singapore Human Capital Summit to be held from 28-29 September 2011.  A sharing session between Summit partners and its delegates, the Knowledge Showcase will bring to life leading-edge human capital and leadership practices of renowned organisations and consultancies operating in Asia. 

What can we expect from the Knowledge Showcase? Asia’s top business leaders will share their insights and strategies of their innovative people practices. Delegates of the summit will walk into a stimulating environment that features forward-looking human capital management that enhances an organisation’s competitiveness.

The Knowledge Showcase is divided into three zones, namely The Enablers, The Change Agents and The Pace Setters. From the foundational provision of the relevant support schemes and strategic directions, to the innovative methodologies to enhance training programmes, to finally mobilisation of resources to create economic value and benefits with measurable returns, this is one aspect of the summit which should not be missed.

Participating Organisations

This year, we have a number of organisations involved in the Knowledge Showcase. For example, we have Marsh & McLennan Companies and Centre for Creative Leadership to demonstrate how their human capital and leadership best practices have led them to business successes.

We also have government organisations like the Ministry of Manpower, Singapore Workforce Development Agency, Human Capital Leadership Institute and the Institute of Adult Learning sharing their strategic pathways leading to the formation of effective human capital ecosystem.

Ultimately, people is the number one resource in any organisation. An organisation should first invest in lifelong continuing education and training opportunities for its employees to develop their potential.  From the ground operational officers to the top-level executives, there should be a strategic pipeline put in place to cultivate and bring out the best of each individual. And to optimise each performance, companies must leverage their employees that can face up to every challenge and succeed.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to all visiting delegates to experience this exciting showcase of People Strategies of Asia.  For more information, please visit http://www.singaporehcsummit.com

 

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Revving up for the Grand Prix

It usually takes more than just drivers, entertainers and Singtel Grid Girls to make the Singapore Grand Prix a memorable and successful event. Let’s not forget the people behind the scene who are responsible in many ways.

Take Siti Juwaini Binte Jumahat (Ms) for example, who works as an assistant merchandiser at Singapore GP Pte Ltd (the race promoter for the Singapore Grand Prix). Siti was a total greenhorn in the customer service field prior to volunteering for the 2009 Singapore Grand Prix and had signed up with Singapore GP as a temporary helper for the 2009 event mainly due to her interest in the sport.

Like all temporary hires, she was sent for WSQ training during the run-up to the 2009 event and was eventually assigned to the role of retail supervisor for that year’s race. Thanks to the course, she picked up useful knowledge about customer service and hospitality and managed to apply those insights during the event.

Eventually, she was given the opportunity to work as a permanent staff for Singapore GP in 2010. Hence, this year’s race will be the third time that she will be involved in the Singapore Grand Prix.

Generally, temporary hires for any Singapore Grand Prix event will undergo WSQ training prior to the race. First-time helpers generally receive basic training while those who have helped out in past races (such as Siti) typically undergo additional training on ensuring race-goers’ safety and providing visitor information.

The WSQ training has allowed Siti to upgrade her service skills year after year – which is especially useful since she has now working full-time in the tourism industry. This means that she can play bigger or more important roles at the race with each passing year.

Click here for more information on the Tourism WSQ.

Growing Importance of Business Chinese

China is home to more than 1.3 billion people and has one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Hence, the domestic Chinese market represents a potentially vast market waiting to be tapped by governments and companies all over world, including Singapore.

On the national level, Singapore’s excellent bilateral ties with China have led to successful joint projects including the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Tianjin Eco-City. Singapore companies have also managed to penetrate the Chinese market in various industries such as manufacturing and environmental services.

As local organisations and companies continue to engage their counterparts in China, there will be an increasing need to raise the general standard of Chinese proficiency among the Singapore workforce. After all, China’s emergence as the next major player on the global stage has impacted the way in which organisations engage their customers, suppliers and partners from the Middle Kingdom.

Therefore, business leaders and executives who are proficient in Business Chinese will possess a competitive advantage. In view of this, WDA has introduced a programme called the Chinese Workplace Literacy Programme for Singapore workers to raise their proficiency in Chinese. Interested parties can click here for more information.