NTUC, ST Engineering, and SkillsFuture Singapore partner to upskill about 1,000 SME workers in precision engineering

The programme is expected to benefit over 1,000 workers from 40 SMEs in ST Engineering Land Systems' supplier network.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), ST Engineering, and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) have teamed up to upskill Singapore’s precision engineering (PE) sector. This collaboration, said to be a first-ever tripartite partnership, aims to upskill 1,000 workers from 40 SMEs in ST Engineering Land System’s supplier network, ensuring businesses and workers are equipped for the future.

The partnership, is part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed on 13 January 2025 (Monday), at the e2i Devan Nair Institute, marking a significant milestone in workforce development. Witnessed by NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, SSG Chief Executive Tan Kok Yam, and ST Engineering Group Chief Financial Officer Cedric Foo, this partnership integrates NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) initiative with SSG’s SkillsFuture Queen Bee Programme.

Key features of the partnership

• Customised training for SMEs
  1. Workers will be trained in precision engineering, digital manufacturing, AI, and data analytics.
  2. A dedicated Skills Manager will assess training needs and connect SMEs with relevant programmes.
• Funding for transformation
  1. NTUC’s CTC Grant will cover up to 70% of training and transformation costs.
• Career and business growth
  1. Workers gain in-demand skills, improving productivity and career prospects.
  2. SMEs enhance their competitiveness in the fast-evolving PE sector.

Ng Chee Meng, NTUC Secretary-General, said: “This will enable our workers to gain higher-value jobs, better wages and work prospects, while companies thrive in an increasingly competitive and evolving market.”

Adding his views, Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive of SSG, called the partnership ambitious, aimed at maximising impact for both businesses and workers.

With global semiconductor demand surging, Singapore’s PE sector is positioned for expansion. This partnership seeks to ensure SMEs, and their workers are prepared to grab the opportunities ahead. This initiative will initially support suppliers in ST Engineering’s Land Systems business, with plans to expand across its other divisions.

Commenting on this, Cedric Foo, Group CFO of ST Engineering, highlighted that fact that SME supplies are consistently required to meet exacting standards for our products and solutions. “For example, in precision engineering, even slight deviations from specifications can compromise quality and performance. As a large enterprise with more scale and resources, we work to uplift many suppliers.”

Adding that the Land Systems business sees partnerships with more than 100 suppliers, many of whom are small and medium enterprises, he noted that the collaboration will see a doubling down of efforts to upskill these suppliers, “building a robust ecosystem that offers both breadth and depth in technology and engineering capabilities.”

“This ensures continued development of our products and solutions while upholding standards of excellence that drive mutual success,” he shared.

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Photo: Provided by NTUC (Pictured from L-R: Jessie Lim, President, ST Engineering Staff Union; Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive, SkillsFuture Singapore; Cham Hui Fong, Deputy Secretary General, NTUC; Tan Tow Koon, Group Director, Communications and Engagement Group, SkillsFuture Singapore; Ng Chee Meng, NTUC Secretary-General; Tan Pek Tong, Deputy President, International Defence Business, Land Systems, ST Engineering; Cedric Foo, Group Chief Financial Officer, ST Engineering; Tan Chee Wee, Director, Industry Training and Transformation, NTUC; Desmond Tan, Deputy Secretary General, NTUC; Long Chow Tee, SVP/Head, Human Resources, ST Engineering; Sazali Bin Zainal, General Secretary, ST Engineering Staff Union)