SIT signs MOU with Singapore Manufacturing Federation

SINGAPORE — The manufacturing trade here has been facing gaps in workforce skills after its shift into a technological and knowledge-based industry, leading to a manpower crunch.

To address this, the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) today (Jan 30) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to identify these skills gaps in the manufacturing industry in order to produce skilled workers.

The collaboration will give SIT students more career options by allowing them to gain firsthand experience of the productivity needs of the industry. This is aimed at upgrading manpower capabilities for the manufacturing sector, the institution said.

Under the MOU, SMF will provide SIT students with internship opportunities at 10 companies under its umbrella. The federation will also offer the students 10 positions in its Business Immersion Programme — an intensive training programme that allows students to gain real-world exposure to the industry.

The partnership is a significant step for the institute to contribute towards Singapore’s productivity needs and talent training, said SIT President Tan Thiam Soon, who was speaking at the ceremony.

“We envisage that our collaboration will help to bridge the gap between technological advancement and existing industry practices, and help companies raise their productivity levels,” he added.