Keynote Address by Minister for National Development Desmond Lee at the Advanced Manufacturing Employees’ Union (AMEU) Symposium
Jul 12, 2023
Brother Lim Teck Chuan, President of the Advanced Manufacturing Employees’ Union (AMEU)
Brother Desmond Tan, Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC
Brother Gary Goh, Deputy CEO of the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i)
Distinguished guests and partners
1. A very good morning to all.
2. I am delighted to join you for the inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Symposium 2023. Let me first start by thanking all of you for being here today.
Tripartism is our competitive advantage
3. The manufacturing sector has been a key engine of Singapore’s growth since independence.
a. It contributes more than a fifth to our GDP and employs about 12 per cent of our workforce today. I thin Sister Cindy’s presentation was enlightening in terms of the significance of the manufacturing sector to Singapore’s diverse economy.
b. In fact, Singapore has remained an attractive, high-value manufacturing hub because of our business-friendly environment, skilled manpower and innovation capabilities.
c. This is only possible with the valuable support of the Labour Movement and our very strong and enduring tripartite partnership.
4. Our tripartism model is a competitive advantage for Singapore.
a. We could see that very clearly through the periods of difficulty we faced over the decades, and most recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tripartism enabled us to work together to protect jobs, protect lives, and to ensure that Singapore continues to remain strong.
b. The Government, employers and unions work hand-in-hand to come up with win-win solutions across many different issues.
c. Our unions sit down with employers and Government agencies to discuss ways to improve our workers’ skills and jobs.
d. They also discuss how to help employers enhance competitiveness so that they in turn can look after our workers well.
e. We are able to work together to grow the pie for all, because of the mutual trust between workers, employers and the Government, a trust that has been built up over more than four decades. This is incredibly precious and the secret sauce that has enabled us to achieve all that Sister Cindy has presented earlier.
f. Just imagine – an island city-state just 720 square kilometres, smaller than many cities that are comparable to Singapore in terms of many attributes. Yet, as Sister Cindy has presented, because of tripartism, foresight and long-term planning, we have been a leading light in a number of areas.
g. We must never take this for granted because what we have developed can be easily lost.
5. The Labour Movement played an important role in supporting our workers during COVID-19.
a. NTUC complemented the Government’s support with your own initiatives such as the NTUC Care Fund and helped workers who had lost their jobs find new jobs quickly.
b. Unions also worked closely with employers to help keep their businesses afloat, avoid retrenchments as far as possible and save jobs.
c. Because of you, we were able to emerge stronger from the pandemic.
Manufacturing 2030
6. As we turn to the future, we must continue to transform our industries and enhance existing capabilities, if we want to remain competitive and navigate the uncertain global economic environment ahead of us more effectively.
7. We will need your support to grow this sector and take manufacturing to the next level - one that is technology-enabled, resilient and sustainable.
8. In 2021, we launched our Manufacturing 2030 vision to position Singapore as a global business, innovation and talent hub for advanced manufacturing
a. We aim to achieve this by strengthening our ecosystem to attract frontier investments, grooming promising local enterprises, and developing a pipeline of skilled local talent.
9. Many of you here are already at the forefront of using technology such as robotics, automation and artificial intelligence to create innovative manufacturing solutions.
10. The Government is committed to help you push the boundaries of innovation with the right support and infrastructure.
11. The new Jurong Innovation District (JID) is one good example.
a. JID will be a one-stop hub for advanced manufacturing, which will house businesses, technology providers, research institutions and manufacturers under one roof.
b. This will facilitate strong collaborations between different industry players, where they can come together to solve common problems, and develop smart manufacturing solutions and factories of the future.
c. These partnerships will be critical in advancing our ambition to be a globally competitive advanced manufacturing hub.
AMEU’s role in supporting workforce transformation
12. As we continue to attract investments and grow our local champions, we need to ensure that our workforce is equipped to be able to seize opportunities in the sector.
a. I am very encouraged that AMEU has been deeply involved in this effort to help our workers upskill and reskill.
13. Since 2019, AMEU has been engaging companies to form NTUC Company Training Committees (CTCs). The Government has set aside $70 million for the NTUC CTC grant to support employers to implement business and workforce transformation plans.
14. CTCs will identify the skills and training our workers need, and implement training programmes within companies to help our workers keep up with technological developments and stay relevant.
a. Singapore Epson Industrial is one of the 40 companies that worked with AMEU on their workforce transformation projects.
b. They wanted to review manual tracking processes in their Printer Distribution Centre Warehouse to achieve higher productivity.
c. Today, employees in the Warehouse use mobile apps to digitise work processes that once required hard copy documents, emails and phone calls.
d. Epson is also working on a Career Development Plan for logistics specialists to provide a structured pathway for training and progression for their workers.
e. I understand more companies, including SMEs such as MC Packaging and W2, have come on board on this initiative. I look forward to learning more about their projects later.
15. Beyond supporting existing workers, I also applaud AMEU’s initiatives in attracting new talent to this sector.
a. For example, as part of this Symposium, about 100 IHL students visited several advanced manufacturing companies yesterday to learn more about their operations.
b. AMEU has also put together a career fair and several engagement sessions where industry leaders can share more about their own experiences and promote job and internship opportunities in the sector.
c. Such initiatives will go a long way in encouraging more young people to consider joining this sector.
16. Take the example of Atiqah Binte Hamzah.
a. Atiqah took up an internship with Makino Asia while she was studying at ITE College Central. During her internship, she joined the Quality Control team, and had the opportunity to work with specialised measuring equipment.
b. With the support of Makino Asia, she went on to pursue two diplomas. Today, she develops mechanical drawings of machines and customises them according to the customers’ requirements as an Assistant Engineer. She derives great satisfaction in seeing her drawings come to life as end products.
c. I would like to congratulate Atiqah for her wonderful leadership as a young person.
d. I hope more younger Singaporeans like Atiqah will step forward to be part of our efforts to realise our vision for Manufacturing 2030.
17. At a personal level, I have had the privilege of working closely with many of our Brothers and Sisters in AMEU.
a. I would like to thank all of you for your contributions and efforts in taking care of our workers and ensuring that they do not get left behind.
b. The Government will remain committed in working together with you to secure sustained growth and good jobs for our workers.
18. I look forward to meeting some of you later.
19. Thank you and have a fruitful session.