Earn and Learn Programme launched for energy and chemicals sector

23 Aug 2016

Channel News Asia, 22 Aug 2016 - The Singapore Workforce Development Agency and SP launched an 18-month Earn and Learn Programme to build a pipeline of skilled local manpower for the energy and chemicals sector. Participants of the programme will undergo on-campus training at SP, along with structured on-the-job training and mentorship with their employers, which include leading firms in the industry such as Shell, Mitsui and Hyflux. The minimum starting salary for the job component of the programme is between $1,400 and S2,000 with a shift allowance of $800 to $1,100, and participants may also receive wage increments or promotions based on their performance. The article mentioned that 26 participants from different polytechnics have been placed in eight companies since May this year. These participants will be trained in areas such as process principles, design, optimisation and safety, and assessed by industry practitioners from the sector. Graduates who successfully complete the programme will receive an Advanced Diploma in Chemical Engineering from SP, and will have the opportunity to pursue a related degree in the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Institute of Technology-Newcastle University with exemptions in selected modules. Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung shared that the energy and chemicals industry lacked manpower despite its importance to Singapore's economy, and emphasised the importance of the SkillsFuture movement. SP’s Diploma in Chemical Engineering alumna, Masyitah Ceralvo, opined that joining the ELP has given her deeper insights into the industry, which may help to make university studies easier in the future. She is currently working as a process technician at Shell.