Union of Power and Gas Employees Commits Seven Unionised Companies to Roll Out Workforce Skills Qualification for Energy Utilities Workers

Taking the National Trades Union Congress’ Cheaper Better Faster mission to heart, the Union of Power and Gas Employees (UPAGE), in partnership with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), Energy Market Authority (EMA) and e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), has secured the commitment of all its seven unionised companies to roll out WDA’s Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) framework for workers in the energy utilities industry.

Thanks to UPAGE’s initiative, some 8000 professionals and technicians in the energy utilities industry are set to benefit from the new framework. The framework, aimed at providing structured training, building new capabilities, creating new learning opportunities and structured progression pathways, will enhance the productivity and performance of the energy utilities workforce. (Please see Annex A for details).

Recognising that better training leads to better productivity, and better productivity is in the best interest of workers, companies and the industry, UPAGE, with the backing of WDA, e2i and EMA, approached its management partners with the idea of the Energy Utilities WSQ in September 2009. The seven unionised companies, who are major players in the industry – Singapore Power Group, City Gas, Senoko Energy, PowerSeraya, Tuas Power, Sembcorp Industries and  Keppel Merlimau Cogen – gave their unanimous support.

The joint endeavour was sealed with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by UPAGE, the seven companies, WDA, e2i and EMA at the 4th  UPAGE Quadrennial Delegates Conference held at Downtown East this morning. NTUC Secretary-General Mr Lim Swee Say, together with UPAGE Advisor Mr Sin Boon Ann, UPAGE President Mr Tay Seng Chye and UPAGE Executive Secretary Mr S. Thiagarajan, witnessed the signing ceremony. The MOU commits the signatories to collaborate in training and upgrading efforts to maintain the skills and competitiveness of the energy utilities workforce.

Even as the MOU was being signed, WSQ training for the first batch of 50 workers kicked off this morning at the Singapore Power Training Institute, further demonstrating the commitment of the signatories to get the initiative off to a quick start.

Singapore’s energy utilities sector is a competitive, fast-growing and fastevolving sector. Workers in the industry are predominantly Singaporean, mature workers, who have been with their respective companies for an average of 10 years or more. Training and upgrading through the WSQ framework is a timely move to equip them with nationally benchmarked skill-sets. While previously, training for these workers was typically conducted in a non-structured manner, inhouse or through vendor certification, under the WSQ framework, these workers will now be brought up to speed to a common industry standard. This will not only make them more productive and more competitive, it will also go a long way towards enhancing their long-term employability and portability, thus empowering them to move within the industry and reap better prospects.

Elaborating on the impetus behind UPAGE’s mooting and driving the idea of a WSQ for energy utilities workers, UPAGE General Secretary Mr Nachiappan Sinniah said, “UPAGE has a long track record of pushing for the training and upgrading of our workers. We did this with our daily-rated workers. We then went on to sign individual MOUs with our management partners to win their buy-in for union-initiated training. Pushing for the WSQ framework is a natural progression on this path. UPAGE found that the WSQ framework developed by WDA and the industry, which is competency-based and takes into account prior learning experience rather than requirements that are based on theoretical learning concepts and pre-educational training qualification barriers, would be the most suitable training pathway for our members, many of whom do not have formal academic qualifications but have a wealth of work experience. We thank our management partners for giving their wholehearted backing to this initiative.”

Companies recognise that a competitive workforce is the cornerstone for business success. Furthermore, the WSQ framework gives them a structured training roadmap and provides the assurance that when they recruit workers, candidates who are WSQ-trained will have the right skills for the job. All seven unionised companies have thus welcomed this win-win move.

“WDA is delighted that UPAGE, EMA and companies in the energy utilities industry have decided to adopt the Workforce Skills Qualification system to raise
the skills and productivity of the industry’s workforce. With their active participation, I am confident that we can introduce industry relevant skill standards and  training courses that will bring immense benefit to both workers and employers in their industry,” said Mr Chan Heng Kee, Chief Executive of WDA.

Also giving the move the thumbs-up was the industry regulator. Mr Lawrence Wong, Chief Executive, Energy Market Authority said, “The Energy Utilities WSQ will help deepen the skills base and enhance the productivity of workers in the energy utilities industry. With growing electricity demand and new power plants coming on stream in the next few years, we will need more skilled workers in the industry. This WSQ is therefore a timely initiative, both to upgrade the skills of existing workers, and to attract new workers for the future.”

That union, management and government have come together to develop and roll out the WSQ framework for an industry as diverse as the energy utilities industry is commendable. It is testimony to the strong tripartite partnership that defines Singapore’s economic landscape.

For UPAGE, the WSQ initiative is yet another landmark in the good labour-management relations it has forged with its unionized companies, such that the companies readily embraced the proposal put forth by the union. Indeed, how to remain a strong and effective partner at the negotiating table will be one of the key themes that UPAGE leaders will be mulling over as the union charts its strategic directions moving forward at its 4th UPAGE Quadrennial Delegates Conference.