It was announced earlier this month that SMEs in the manufacturing and manufacturing-related sectors in Singapore are to benefit from the creation of a targeted productivity and innovation training programme.

Under the new 'SME Quality Initiatives to Assist, Nurture and Grow', or 'SME Qiang' initiative, developed by the Singapore Manufacturers Federation (SMa) and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), up to 11,000 workers from an initial 55 small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to undertake a number of modules under the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications system, tailored specifically for smaller firms.

According to a joint SMa/WDA statement, the training modules on offer over the two month duration of the course offer SMEs "more customized and contextualized training to address their specific challenges of optimising output despite having small workforce and infrastructure capacities".

The course is an abridged version of the Workforce Skills Qualification Certified Productivity and Innovation (WSQ CPI) Manager programme, designed for smaller firms which are not able to spare the workers for the full five months required to complete the longer course.

The SMa and WDA went on to explain that:

"Senior management will be able to acquire productivity concepts and knowledge, while workers identified to be productivity agents within the SMEs will learn about implementing Lean Six Sigma concepts through a Productivity Improvement Project under the guidance of Black Belt Consultants. These productivity change agents will also learn to sustain the companies' productivity drive by setting up a productivity framework within each company."

SMa Secretary-General Mr Gwee Seng Kwong observed that:

“Among the companies that have completed the WSQ CPI Manager programme, we have noted an average productivity growth of 15%. Based on this result, we are confident that SME Qiang can help SMEs raise their productivity by an average of 10 per cent over a year. This is about five times the national productivity target of 2-3% per year. Given that SMEs make up 99% of the local enterprise population, SMa believes that this programme will have a far-reaching effect on the local productivity level.”

It was further announced that the Workforce Development Agency can provide funding for up to 70% of the course fee, in addition to absentee payroll support, if required.