- NTUC launches SME Partners Multiplier Programme with industry Multipliers.
- SMEs access 70% CTC grant funding for transformation and skills training.
- Enhances SME representation, supports workers with better prospects.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) of Singapore has launched the SME Partners Multiplier Programme to provide additional support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through collaborations with industry groups. The programme connects SMEs and their employees with NTUC's resources and builds on "Multipliers" like the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Singapore Building Materials Suppliers' Association, and LIN Chamber of Commerce.
These groups will link companies to NTUC programs, promote training and upskilling as well as leverage their community networks. Participating SMEs can access and use the NTUC Company Training Committee (CTC) framework to support capability-building and transformation projects. There are a couple of major benefits SMEs can tap into, namely, the CTC grant to support up to 70 percent of the total costs for workforce initiatives and business initiatives; support for job redesign; skills upgrading training grants; and human capital advisory that helps to enhance workplace practices.
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This is provided to help address operational inefficiencies and foster employee development by enhancing work prospects and environments for SME workers. In return, Multipliers will get official NTUC SME Partners recognition, along with co-funding for joint activities such as workshops and business transformation clinics.
The program also amplifies SME voices at the national level by providing ground-level feedback to inform labor policies and training incentives: NTUC indicated that “The programme not only delivers tangible outputs for workers and businesses, but also contributes to shaping the SME sector, by bringing the industry together as one voice, to ensure that the special challenges of SME workers and employers are understood.” This initiative complements Singapore’s efforts to increase SME resilience while navigating complex economic headwinds, signaling for innovation and sustainable success in key sectors.