Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong
Deputy Chairman of SLF and Minister in the Prime Minister? Office,
Mr Lim Boon Heng
Minister for Manpower, Dr Ng Eng Hen
President of NTUC, Brother John De Payva
NTUC Secretary-General, Brother Lim Swee Say
Chief Executive Officer of WDA, Mr Ong Ye Kung
Council Member of SNEF, Mr Leong Sow Chun
NTUC Central Committee Members, Guests and Friends
Welcome to the official opening of the Employment and Employability Institute, or e2i.
In 2005, NTUC and our tri-partite partners launched the Job Re-creation Programme (JRP). Mr Prime Minister, if you recall, you were the Guest of Honour at that launch event.
In the three years of the JRP, we have achieved a lot. JRP helped 4,652 workers in 2005. It almost tripled this number to 12,027 workers in 2006. Last year, we helped 15,044 workers.
JRP is able to do this by constantly re-creating itself. Just as for our workers, the JRP stays relevant through a never ending process of re-invention and upgrading.
Today? opening of e2i marks a new phase in this process. e2i will add a new capability for the JRP. It will provide the infrastructure for the JRP to deliver on its promise of a better life for all the workers in Singapore, by creating a one-stop centre to help our workers get Better Jobs for Life.
Over the past 3 years, JRP has always relied on our tripartite partners for its success.
WDA provided policy leadership, as well as the resources and expertise in terms of funding, placement support and sectoral workskill frameworks.
Regulatory and development agencies such as MHA? Security Industry Regulatory Department and MND? NParks have taken the ownership to push for higher standards in the sectors under their charge.
Town Councils have taken ownership to push for higher skills content and productivity for contract workers.
Community Development Councils have worked with us to coordinate our placement activities
Industry groups in the landscape and real estate management and maintenance sectors have rallied employers to adopt new work practices.
The list goes on.
Just as with the JRP, e2i relies on our tri-partite partners.
In the 10 sectors that e2i has started to operate in, organisations such as the Restaurant Association of Singapore, Real Estate and Construction Centre, Singapore Taxi Operators?Association, Union of Security Employees and the Singapore Teachers?Union have all provided critical help, resources and expertise to e2i.
Other organisations that had contributed significantly to e2i? birth include Singapore Labour Foundation, WDA, Institute of Technical Education and Singapore Land Authority.
We would like to thank all of our partners for their courage, energy and leadership in helping us break new ground.
We look forward to forging more and more partnerships as we continue on our journey to create better jobs and better lives for our workers.
Thank you.
