Pilot programme to boost foreign domestic workers’ skills

SINGAPORE — The Foreign Domestic Worker’s Integration and Training (FIT) Support Programme is a new six-month pilot training programme announced by Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST) today (Aug 29) at the signing of Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with 14 pilot employment agencies and six training providers for FIT.

While employment agencies will promote FIT to prospective employers, the training providers will be offering skills-based training programmes including culinary and baking courses, caregiver training and conversational English to name a few. FAST will also conduct Heritage and Educational Tours.

FIT will be a complementary programme to the mandatory Settling-In Programme (SIP) for foreign domestic workers (FDWs) working in Singapore for the first time. With FIT, FAST aims to better induct new FDWs into their new work environment, enhance their skill sets and offer FDWs an option to spend their rest days meaningfully with FAST’s FDW Befrienders Club.

President of FAST Seah Seng Choon said through FIT, FAST hopes to encourage employers to embrace skills enhancement and continuing training for their domestic workers. Helping domestic workers better assimilate into our culture will also help them be better workers and ultimately also benefit employers and give them better peace of mind, he added.

As part of a premium package for prospective employers, participating pilot employment agencies will sponsor the fees for the Heritage and Orientation Tour and one-year membership to FAST’s FDW Befrienders Club. Employers will also be given training coupons up to the value of $50 to enrol their domestic workers for up to five training programmes.