Support for Trade Associations to Attract, Retain and Develop Secretariat Talent
Ministry of Trade and IndustrySpeakers
Summary
This question concerns support programmes for trade associations and chambers (TACs) to attract and develop secretariat talent, as raised by Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong highlighted the Trade Association Committee Transformation Centre, run by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which provides shared services in areas like digitalisation and sustainability. He noted that Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Business Federation offer the TAC Fellowship Programme and Knowledge Series workshops, which have trained over 270 professionals. These initiatives aim to build leadership pipelines and improve the operational capacity of TACs to drive industry transformation projects. Finally, the Government seconds officers to TACs to augment secretariat strength and support the implementation of key national policies.
Transcript
40 Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry what support programmes are available to help trade associations attract, retain and develop the secretariat talent needed to drive sector collaborations and implement key enabling policies.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Government is committed to helping our trade associations and chambers (TACs) strengthen their secretariat teams so as to increase the TACs' capacity and capabilities to serve their members.
The Trade Association Committee Transformation Centre, which is supported by Enterprise Singapore and run by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, provides shared secretariat services to assist the TACs' operational needs in areas like internationalisation, digitalisation, sustainability and advocacy. This support enables them to drive industry transformation projects more effectively.
Enterprise Singapore also collaborates with the Singapore Business Federation on programmes to develop the human capital of TACs. For example, the TAC Fellowship Programme for Leadership Development is an executive leadership training initiative that seeks to build a strong pipeline of next-generation TAC leaders. The programme has benefited 60 TAC professionals in the past three years. Another example is the TAC Knowledge Series, which comprises workshops to equip TAC professionals with the knowledge and skills to be more effective. Since 2024, over 210 secretariat members from more than 50 TACs have attended these workshops.
The Government also second officers to TACs to augment the bench strength of the TAC secretariat staff and enhance the TACs' efforts in implementing key Government policies.