SINGAPORE - The manufacturing sector will get more help to go green, with new SkillsFuture courses on sustainability to be rolled out from September by technology giant HP and the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM).
The training will support the Singapore Green Plan 2030, a national movement to advance sustainable development, said SIM on Thursday (Aug 18).
At a media conference at the HP campus in Telok Blangah, SIM president and chief executive Seah Chin Siong said that by working with HP and SkillsFuture Singapore, SIM hopes to create a positive impact on the environment and society amid disruptions and rapid challenges facing the country.
More than 1,500 workers from 180 firms are expected to benefit from the 15 courses over the next three years.
The courses range from two to four days in duration, and will cover areas like digital transformation through design thinking, and green and sustainable design practices.
Those interested can sign up for the courses on the MySkillsFuture portal and SIM website.
Under an agreement inked between HP, SIM and SkillsFuture Singapore on Thursday, HP is the "queen bee" - the industry leader appointed by SkillsFuture to train other small and medium-sized enterprises in manufacturing.
SkillsFuture now has more than 20 "queen bee" companies, including German technology giant Siemens.
They are selected based on their industry standing and ability to influence companies operating in their business networks, said SkillsFuture.
SkillsFuture Singapore CEO Tan Kok Yam said industry captains such as HP provide better insights on what new skill sets are needed in the field to support other firms.
He added: "It starts with the right skills, and whether it is carbon footprint management or sustainable manufacturing practices, you can enable your company, your team, your bosses, to start thinking about how to do this sustainably."
Mr Ng Tian Chong, HP's managing director for greater Asia, said the company has been a pioneer multinational corporation in Singapore since 1970 with sustainability practices at its core.
In June, it opened a water recycling plant to reuse water for its operations, and expects to save up to 67,000 cubic m of water - enough to fill 27 swimming pools - annually.
Mr Ng added: "We look forward to leveraging our HP innovation and expertise to help Singapore future-proof this generation of skilled manufacturing talent."
