NTUC opens career centre to aid PME job placement

The focus areas are career protection, progression, and placement.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said it is working on improving support for its professional, manager, and executive (PME) members who currently form 45% of its base.

According to NTUC, this number excludes migrant workers and student nEbO members.

“PMEs facing career or workplace challenges can rest assured that NTUC is here to walk alongside them. We want and will do better by you,” NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said.

One of the initiatives being implemented is enhancing workplace fairness. Around 9,000 of the target 12,000 human resource professionals have been trained in tripartite partners in conjunction with the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, Ng said. 

Upcoming workplace legislation will also give the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) legislative powers to uphold fairness at work, the congress said.

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Ng said the NTUC has enhanced its business model to improve workplace representation. Among the 58 unions affiliated to the congress, there are full executive unions, and all-collar unions that represent PMEs, he noted.

Another focus area is career progression and wages through company training committees (CTC). The congress said 727 PMEs from 61 companies were granted an average of five per cent wage increase on top of their annual increment and have a career development plan.

NTUC is also boosting support for job placement with the opening of the first career centre operated by the Employment and Employability Institute. This provides PMEs tools, job opportunities, and resources to improve their skills.

The congress said about half of those utilising this are PMEs earning over $8,000, indicative of the centre’s relevance to the professional workforce.