16  October  2015      

MEDIA  FACTSHEET    

SkillsFuture  Earn  and  Learn  Programme  and  Enhanced  Internship    for  Offshore  &  Marine  Engineering  sector    

 Driving  the  sector’s  next  phase  of  growth  through  deeper  collaboration  between  industry  and  education    

   Eight  key  players  of  the  Offshore  &  Marine  Engineering  (OME)  sector  from  industry  and  post-­‐secondary  education  institutions  signed  a  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MOU)  on  16  October  2015   to   jointly  promote  and   facilitate  SkillsFuture   initiatives  developed   for   the   sector.   The   collaboration   seeks   to   offer   a   structured   skills   and  career  development  pathway  for  polytechnic  and  ITE  students  and  graduates  in  the  OME   sector.   This   is   in   line  with   the  national   SkillsFuture  movement   to  develop   an  integrated   system   of   education,   training   and   career   progression   for   Singaporeans  that  responds  to  evolving  industry  needs.        The   alliance   comprises   the   Association   of   Singapore   Marine   Industries   (ASMI),  Singapore   Workforce   Development   Agency   (WDA),   Keppel   Offshore   &   Marine  Limited,  Sembcorp  Marine  Limited,  Singapore  Technologies  Marine  Limited,  Institute  of  Technical  Education   (ITE),  Ngee  Ann  Polytechnic   (NP)  and  Singapore  Polytechnic  (SP).      The   event   was   graced   by   Guest   of   Honour   Mr   Ng   Cher   Pong,   Chief   Executive,  Singapore  Workforce  Development  Agency.    Among   the   first   initiatives   to   be   rolled   out   under   the   MOU   framework   are   the  SkillsFuture   Earn   and   Learn   Programme   in   Marine   and   Offshore   Engineering,   and  enhanced  internships  for  ITE  and  polytechnic  students  pursuing  marine  and  offshore  engineering.                

i. SkillsFuture  Earn  and  Learn  Programme    This   work-­‐study   programme   provides   career   placements   and   On-­‐the-­‐Job  training   (OJT)   to   fresh   polytechnic   graduates   from   relevant   diploma  programmes.    

 10  polytechnic  graduates  have  been  successfully  enrolled  in  the  programme  with   three   established   Marine   &   Offshore   companies,   namely   Keppel  Offshore   &   Marine   Limited,   Sembcorp   Marine   Limited   and   Singapore  Technologies  Marine  Limited.  This   first  batch  of  participants  will   commence  their   SkillsFuture   Earn   and   Learn   Programme   in   Marine   and   Offshore  Engineering  on  20  October  2015.        Under   this   programme,   these   new   Assistant   Engineers   will   undergo   a   12-­‐month   structured   training   programme   including   on-­‐the-­‐job   training,  company-­‐based  projects,  facilitated  learning  and  e-­‐learning.  This  will   lead  to  a  Specialist  Diploma  in  Marine  Production  awarded  by  NP.  The  programme  is  managed  by  the  CET  Academy  at  NP.        

ii. SkillsFuture   Enhanced   Internship   Programme   in   Marine   and   Offshore  Engineering    The  Enhanced  Internship  gives  students  a  head  start  in  the  industry  through  better  support  for  structured  and  real-­‐world  learning  at  the  workplace,  under  the  tutelage  of  industry  mentors.    

 Under  the  current  curriculum,  NP’s  final-­‐year  Diploma  in  Marine  &  Offshore  Technology   (MOT)   students   typically   participate   in   a   three-­‐month-­‐long  internship.     From   April   2016,   the   entire   final-­‐year   cohorts   of   160   MOT  students   from   NP   and   80   Higher   Nitec   Marine   &   Offshore   Technology  students   from   ITE   can   look   forward   to   a   structured   internship   over   a   six-­‐month   duration.   They   will   be   joined   by   another   80   SP   students   from   the  Diploma  in  Marine  Engineering  in  April  2017.    The  internships  are  structured  according  to  detailed  task  scopes  drawn  up  by  the  institutions  together  with  the  sector  so  as  to  better  support  students’  transition  to  the  workplace.  

 Sector  Overview    The   Singapore   marine   and   offshore   engineering   industry   is   a   world-­‐class   industry  with   a   global   clientele.   The   industry   generates   a   total   turnover   in   excess   of   S$15  billion  a  year  and  employs  some  110,000  workers.  Singapore  is  the  global   leader  in  the  building  of   jack-­‐up   rigs  and  major  builder  of   semi-­‐   submersible  drilling   rigs.   Its  rigbuilders   are   capable   of   building,   repairing,   upgrading   and   converting   rigs   and  other   offshore   platforms   for   operations   in   shallow   and   deep   water   and   harsh  environment.   Singapore   is   also   a   world   leader   in   the   conversion   of   Floating  Production,  Storage  and  Offloading  (FPSO)  and  Floating  Storage  and  Offloading  (FSO)  units.   It   is   one   of   the   world’s   premier   shiprepair   centres   and   a   niche   builder   of  customised  and  specialised  vessels.