SINGAPORE – Licensed plumbers here now have their own online marketplace where they can submit bids for projects listed by interior designers, facility managers and other qualified professionals.
Launched on Friday by the Singapore Plumbing Society (SPS) in collaboration with national water agency PUB, the Tender/Job Portal is the first such platform by an industry body of a skilled trade.
The digital marketplace is part of ongoing efforts to step up work standards and job prospects for plumbers in Singapore.
The site was designed with feedback from SPS members in mind, such as the need for larger fonts and simpler language because plumbers tend to be older.
The platform is expected to increase ease of access to the services of licensed plumbers, while keeping pricing transparent and fair by allowing them to bid at prices they are confident of delivering quality services at, said the society’s president Dickrose Masalamani.
He expressed hopes that having licensed plumbers close at hand will raise awareness among potential clients on the importance of hiring licensed plumbers, as well as spur unlicensed plumbers to upskill and comply with industry standards.
To get licensed, plumbers need to hold selected qualifications from BCA Academy or the Institute of Technical Education, as well as work under a licensed plumber’s supervision for two years.
This allows them to deal with more complex and critical water infrastructure, such as water pumps for Housing Board blocks, compared with basic pipe, hose and tap replacements that handymen can do.
“Licensed plumbers have to follow a code of practice... whereas unlicensed plumbers without any education in plumbing may just do work according to their imagination and their standard,” said Mr Masalamani, one of over 1,000 licensed plumbers in Singapore.
Examples of shoddy work by unlicensed plumbers he has seen include corroded parts that were not replaced and unsterilised tanks used for potable water – mistakes that cost clients more to fix than if they were to hire licensed plumbers with higher work standards to begin with.
The platform is expected to attract at least 1,000 prospective clients in its first year.
It is a part of the sector’s 10-year operations and technology road map, noted Ms Yeo Wan Ling, director of the National Trades Union Congress’ (NTUC) unit for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Unveiled in 2021 by SPS and NTUC, the road map aims to attract younger Singaporeans to the sector, creating a core of local workers, she added.
“I think that this digital platform really does herald a new change in the way that we look at some of our traditional essential services,” said Ms Yeo, who was guest of honour at the launch event held at Safra Mount Faber.
Speaking at the event, Mr Ridzuan Ismail, director of water supply (network) at PUB, underscored the importance of licensed plumbers to the Republic’s water quality and public health.
“Water and sanitary systems must be built properly by competent plumbers who possess the skills and knowledge to prevent any cross-contamination between the potable water system and the non-potable water or sanitary systems.”
Plumbers cannot carry out regulated plumbing works without a valid licence, or without the supervision of a licensed plumber. Those found guilty may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to three years, or both under the Public Utility Act.
The website took digital consultancy Dino Digital Tech six months to develop, since November 2022, said its managing director Pua Youli.
She added that the portal’s interface was tested by SPS members, whose feedback for larger fonts and simpler language was taken on board.
The website’s launch comes amid an ongoing push by the labour movement to introduce a career progression model for plumbers and other skilled tradesmen such as electricians since February.
The model promises clear career ladders that tie skills training to wage improvements, defining pathways to the industry from tertiary education and transparent quality standards for the respective sectors.
