Nurturing youths for growth of M&OE sector

1. Over 200 youth gathered at the inaugural Marine & Offshore Youth Forum organised by NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), in partnership with the Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI), Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers Singapore (SNAMES), and NTUC’s Electronics, Marine & Engineering (EME) Cluster.

2. The Youth Forum targeted youth aged between 18 to 30 years old from ITE College Central, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore Institute of Technology, Nanyang Technological University, and recipients from the ASMI-MaritimeONE scholarship under Singapore Maritime Foundation. It included a Fireside Chat to provide them with a better understanding of the roles they can play in shaping the M&OE industry in Singapore. With the industry’s move towards sustainability and digitalisation, youths can look forward to becoming Green Champions, advocating for a low-carbon future.

3. Sharing at the Fireside chat, Guest-of-Honour, Mr Desmond Tan, Minister of State (MOS) at Prime Minister’s Office and Deputy Secretary-General of NTUC said, “There is a need for young talents to join the industry to bring in new perspectives and fresh ideas, and work with the current workforce to modernise existing structures and frameworks. M&OE industry is evolving towards an exciting future, with plenty of opportunities for the youth to bring about real change for a greener, more sustainable ecosystem. We are fully committed to support youth to build their career in the M&OE Sector.”

4. Since 1987, scholarships have been given out by ASMI to support youths to pursue a career in M&OE. The ASMI-MaritimeONE scholarship has been awarded to a total of 914 students to date. Mr Simon Kuik, President of the Association of Singapore Maritime Industries (ASMI) shared, “The association is active and committed to building a strong talent pipeline to support the industry. In partnership with Singapore Maritime Foundation, we have rebranded from the ASMI scholarship to the ASMI-MaritimeONE scholarship to help nurture the youth talent pipeline, and will continue to provide support where possible, to build a future-
ready workforce for the M&OE sector.”

5. To further support the nation’s manpower growth for M&OE industry, e2i will partner ASMI in the upcoming M&OE Youth Mentorship Programme. This 9-month programme will provide aspirants with access to experienced M&OE practitioners to learn, network, and grow. With the objective to provide career guidance for working adults and interaction with industrial practitioners for the students.

Marine Week 2022

6. The Forum is one of the many activities held as part of Marine Week. Since 2018, e2i has been organising Marine Week annually. This year’s programmes include a career fair, learning journeys, workshops, exhibitions, and webinars. Through the week’s events from 10 to 14 October 2022, youths, industry professionals, and the public can gain a deeper understanding of the marine industry and workforce: its importance in our society, and the promising careers it presents.

7. At the Marine and Offshore Jobs Discovery, 15 multinational companies (MNCs) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will feature more than 170 job roles and 400 vacancies – ranging from Engineers, Business Development Executives, Drafters, and many more – with opportunities to secure onsite interviews. At the Marine & Offshore Connects, a first tradeshow organised under Marine Week, participants will view a showcase of services and technology adoptions and interact with exhibitors to learn more about the industry.

8. With the development in this sector spurred by digitalisation and sustainability, the roles require workers to be equipped with deeper and new skills such as troubleshooting of machinery knowledge in electrical and instrument systems and familiarity with electrical schematics diagrams. Singapore needs to attract a strong M&OE talent pool and build a robust maritime infrastructure.

9. Ms Caryn Lim, CEO of NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) added, “M&OE is an exciting sector that is pivoting towards new growth areas in clean energy. The industry is interested in attracting resilient individuals who not only have a strong sense of responsibility but also a strong interest in sustainability. Individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in the M&OE sector may wish to contact e2i for career coaching and employment support.”