In a bid to attract younger talents and enhance the training programmes in the built environment sector, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and the Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees’ Union (BATU).
Channel NewsAsia reported that the collaboration between labour groups e2i and BATU with the BCA aims to provide comprehensive training programmes for Singaporeans interested in pursuing a career in the construction industry.
The MOU will also give greater support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) so they can keep pace with latest and best industry practices as well as advanced construction methods like Building Information Modelling technologies. It will also spur these firms to provide better training to their personnel.
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Moreover, the agreement signatories will hold career and educational fairs as well as provide mentoring services to the students and alumni of BCA Academy, the agency’s education and research division.
According to Labour Chief Chan Chun Sing, the construction industry has become “very sophisticated”. Thanks to advanced technology, developments are now being completed more quickly and safely.
However, many people still associate the sector with an unpleasant working environment. “Today, I think many people have the wrong mental model of what the construction industry looks like. Maybe the mental model is Phua Chu Kang in the yellow boots.”
But with better training and prospects, he hopes more young talents would be enticed to join the construction industry, said Chan, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Meanwhile, BCA Chief Executive Hugh Lim is optimistic that partnership with e2i and BATU can boost the sector’s productivity and competitiveness.
“I can see that in the past few months that Singapore is actually moving very quickly, levelling up, and I would say in the next three years we expect Singapore to be able to take the lead in this sector.”
The city-state’s Built Environment sector is one of the 23 industries earmarked for growth and upgrade by the Committee of the Future Economy.
This article was edited by Denise Djong.
