National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning (NACE) has been launched in Singapore to support companies in building up their work-learn capabilities and developing a workplace learning system. It plans to help 1,000 local companies by the year 2023.
The main purpose of the centre is to help companies develop workplace trainers.
Led by Nanyang Polytechnic and supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), the Centre is a collaboration with the Swiss Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (SFIVET), and the German Chamber of Industry & Commerce (IHK Akademie).
“The Centre will provide the expertise to equip companies with the capability to train and develop their workers. This will be done through training and certifying trainers using best-in-class training practices and offering customised solutions to develop in-house training systems for companies,” said a press release issued by SSG.
The centre plans to help over 1,000 companies, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), build best practices in workplace learning and work-learn capabilities by 2023, thereby transforming these companies into learning workplaces.
Grants will also be provided to help employers defray the costs of developing such workplace learning capabilities.
Ong Ye Kung, Education Minister of Singapore, launched NACE during a visit to fashion brand Charles and Keith, which is one of the early adopters of the programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Ong said, “Employers training their own workers is the most important pillar of lifelong learning. After the formal education system, learning on the job takes over as the most important avenue for skills and knowledge upgrading.”
“It is in the interest of employers to train their workers to help them perform; as it is in the interest of employees to learn and do well,” he added.
SFIVET and IHK Akademie are well regarded internationally for their focus on vocational education and training, and workplace learning systems. They will also share with NACE’s trainers their experience and expertise in training, and building good in-house systems and processes, which can be applied to Singaporean companies.
Trainers in participating companies can continue to upgrade themselves to become Specialist Trainers and ultimately Master Trainers, with internationally recognised certification from SFIVET or NACE.
“Building workplace learning capabilities is critical especially in this age of disruption and transformation. With the setting up of NACE, we will draw on best practices from Switzerland and Germany, and strengthen the support available to companies, especially SMEs, to help them develop such in-house capabilities,” said Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive of SkillsFuture Singapore.