Feedback Received from Earn and Learn Programmes

2 Ms Sun Xueling asked the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) (a) whether he can provide an update on the feedback received on Earn and Learn Programmes (ELP) in 2016; (b) whether the Ministry has been able to place 400 Polytechnic and ITE graduates across all the ELPs in 2016; and (c) which are the most sought after ELPs and whether they match existing manpower projections of the Industry Transformation Maps.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers for Education (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills)): Madam, the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP) was launched as a work-learn initiative to support fresh polytechnic and ITE graduates in their transition to the workplace and into sectors which they have been trained for.

In 2016, over 500 Polytechnic and ITE graduates were placed with companies across various ELPs. This is more than the 400 placements targeted for 2016. We have received positive feedback from both employers and trainees who have participated in the ELP.

There are currently 40 ELPs across 23 sectors including those where the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) are being developed. The most popular ELPs are in sectors such as Hotel, ICT and Logistics, where ITMs are developed.

MOE will continue to work with the respective sector agencies to introduce more work-learn programmes to support training and lifelong learning.

Ms Sun Xueling (Pasir Ris-Punggol): I thank the Parliamentary Secretary. I would like to enquire what is the process to obtain feedback from the trainees about their experience for the programme.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Mdm Speaker, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. The trainers, even the lecturers, have a close engagement with the students and participants, and at the end of it, they would also obtain feedback from the participants. We also work with the companies to see how we can get feedback, and at the same time, to better and improve the service delivery of the training institutes, as well as how we can enhance the learning experience of the participants.

Ms Sun Xueling: I would like to enquire how does the Ministry ensure that what the trainee goes for during the programme, is an add-on to what he or she has learnt in school, that it is really Earn and Learn, in the sense that they are learning on top of what they have learnt in school.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: It is a developmental process whereby we make sure what they learn is also linked to what they are doing at their workplace. It is not only about looking at what they have learnt, but also what they are going to do, what they are doing and at the same time, we cannot run from the fact that there are certain basic things that we need to remind them, and to link to what they had learnt before. It is an integral and integrated process whereby we want to manage the whole process of learning seamlessly.

Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines): I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for his clarification. While ELP has been important to bringing new talent into the industries, but there has been union feedback that the entry pay for some of these industries are not attractive, thereby limiting the attractiveness of ELPs, as a whole. Will the Ministry consider, in the upcoming ELPs, to allow greater parity and for the pay to catch up with market conditions?

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: I thank Mr Desmond Choo for the feedback. We will take it back. As Members know, the ELP is a new initiative. We will learn along the way and we are committed to improving the arrangements as well as how we can make the ELP more attractive to the participants.