NTUC’s e2i to take over centres from Workforce Singapore

NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) will take over two career centres and 10 Jobs and Skills Centres from Workforce Singapore (WSG), from April 1.

With the move, e2i will manage four career centres and 22 Jobs and Skills Centres, with WSG only continuing to operate its flagship Careers Connect centre located at the Lifelong Learning Institute in Paya Lebar, and its roving truck-based Careers Connect On-The-Go.

The move is set to expand e2i’s footprint in its efforts to support local workers and job seekers, such as through career-matching services, while freeing up WSG for a strategic shift in its role within Singapore’s jobs ecosystem.

Mr Desmond Tan, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and National Trades Union Congress deputy secretary-general, announced the move to transfer centres run by WSG to the labour movement in Parliament during the Budget debate on Feb 27, but said then that more details were to come.

The two bodies said in a joint statement on March 11: “The handover of the career centre operations to NTUC’s e2i is a step forward as WSG shifts its role as the sector lead to strengthen the career facilitation ecosystem by working with partners, labour market intermediaries and employers.”

With this shift, WSG will “move upstream” to strengthen the career health of Singapore’s local workforce.

The statutory board will do so by driving new initiatives that helps those in the workforce keep abreast of the evolving job landscape, and take proactive steps towards setting longer‐term career goals, the partners said.

“This will enable individuals to pursue upskilling purposefully and ensure that skills acquired are relevant to current and future jobs.”

One such initiative is the Polaris programme, a pilot WSG launched in November 2023 to support individuals in charting their longer‐term career development while still in employment, including helping them explore new opportunities in emerging sectors.

“New digital services, such as the CareersFinder on WSG’s MyCareersFuture portal, were also introduced in July 2023 to provide individuals with personalised jobs and upskilling recommendations so that they can make better-informed decisions in their career journey.”

The partners also said e2i’s management of more career touchpoints will let it boost its ground outreach and facilitation efforts by bringing personalised career coaching, skills upgrading advisory and job-matching services closer to communities across Singapore.

They added that e2i and WSG will work together to ensure a smooth transition for Singaporeans who need employment assistance.

WSG’s clients who are currently receiving career coaching services from the career centres at Our Tampines Hub and Woodlands Civic Centre will continue to be served by their existing coaches.

Individuals can also continue to seek career advice through WSG’s mobile network of Careers Connect On‐The‐Go, which is deployed islandwide on a rotational basis to bring career matching services closer to individuals in the heartland, they said.

The partners also said e2i will leverage NTUC’s extensive community network, including business associations and grassroots, in helping job seekers throughout their career journeys.

“By empowering them with essential tools and employability skills, the focus is on helping the workforce, especially PMETs (professionals, managers, executive and technicians), youth, mature workers, vulnerable workers, and back‐to‐work women, to find employment opportunities in today’s dynamic job market.”

They said: “With an augmented talent pool, e2i is strategically positioned to deliver enhanced levels of career services and tailored solutions to better support its employer partners.”

“WSG will work closely with its partners, including NTUC’s e2i, in workforce development and to enhance the career health of our workers, in tandem with Singapore’s economic transformation,” they added.

In response to queries from The Straits Times on why it will keep managing one centre, WSG said: “Even as WSG takes on a broader role as part of its shift, it would be necessary for WSG to continue to provide career-matching services to supplement the provision by e2i.

“WSG will retain our flagship Careers Connect at Lifelong Learning Institute and the Careers Connect On-The-Go to maintain our presence in this aspect of the career facilitation ecosystem.”

It also said about 200 employed individuals have enrolled in the Polaris programme since its launch, and added that it is currently exploring other efforts that align with this new strategic shift, with more details to be provided later.

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List of centres e2i will run (from April 1, 2024, for those bolded)

Career centres:
Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability
One Marina Boulevard
Our Tampines Hub
Woodlands Civic Centre

Jobs and Skills Centres:
Bishan Community Club
Ci Yuan Community Club
Clementi Community Centre
The Frontier Community Club
Social Service Office @ Bukit Merah
Social Service Office @ Queenstown
Teck Ghee Community Club
Toa Payoh West Community Club
Yew Tee Community Club
Hong Kah North Community Club
Whampoa Community Club
Yuhua Community Club
Bukit Panjang Community Club
Fernvale Community Centre
ServiceSG @ Bukit Canberra
ServiceSG @ Kampong Chai Chee Community Club
ServiceSG @ Nee Soon Central Community Club
ServiceSG @ One Punggol
MacPherson Community Club
Marine Parade Community Club
Pasir Ris Elias Community Club
The Serangoon Community Club

Centre remaining under WSG management:
Careers Connect (Lifelong Learning Institute)