80th Anniversary Commemorative Book - Singapore Manufacturing ...

One way it does this is by working with educational institutions. It also proactivelycommunicates its concerns as well as the developing trends of the industry tothe Government, highlighting areas where there is a potential dearth of talentand identifying areas where talent might be needed in the future.The SMF has held talks with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry ofManpower and the Economic Development Board where it has expressedits concerns and shared its views on how to retain engineers for themanufacturing sector, and how schools can nurture and cultivate an interestin engineering among their students.SMF Deputy President Moh Chong Tau, who is working with the SingaporeUniversity of Technology & Design, said “I tell them about the kinds ofengineers we need, not only in terms of hard skills but soft skills as well, sothey can better prepare their students for a career in manufacturing.”These skills can only be developed through rigorous training. “Our membersare saying that they need workers who are multi-skilled. We are talkingto the Government about how to provide multi- rather than mono-skilledtraining.”This versatility will stand local workers in good stead as the supply of foreignmanpower dries up, forcing our engineers to do a wider range of jobs,Dr Moh added.Mining the silver workforceThe SMF’s focus is not just on the young. Besides developing the potential ofyouth, it is also looking to draw on the experience of the silver workforce.According to the “Report on Labour Force in Singapore 2010” releasedby the Ministry of Manpower, more than 300,000 employed residentsin the manufacturing and service sectors are aged 55 and above. Thisfigure accounts for more than 15 per cent of the total employed residentsin Singapore, and the percentage will continue to grow over the next 20years. Generally, companies are hesitant about hiring these mature workersbecause they believe that the cognitive, physical and social abilities of olderworkers have started declining, compromising their productivity.Epilogue: Mapping the Future 97