The Mid-career SkillsFuture program for the environmental services industry will launch in April 2025.

SINGAPORE – From April 2025, mid-level workers who want to acquire the skills needed in the environmental services sector will be able to take a training course at Temasek Polytechnic (TP) and use their SkillsFuture credits to offset the cost of training.

This SkillsFuture Career Transition program is a collaboration between Temasek Polytechnic, the Singapore Environmental Management Association and the National Environment Agency (NEA).

The three-month full-time course is the first such initiative in the industry and will cover topics such as robotics, automation and performance-based contracting for cleaning services. Details will be published on the TP website later in November.

“Through this program, we hope to attract more talented mid-career professionals into the environmental services sector with growth opportunities to build meaningful careers and impactful work,” said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, who announced the initiative as part of the Clean Day commemoration event. and green Singapore on November 3.

DPM Heng spoke at the event, which took place at the National University of Singapore in Utown and was organized by NUS and agencies including the National Environment Agency, South West Community Development Board and the National Parks Board (NParks).

DPM Heng also presented the Green Services Star Award to individuals working in the cleaning, waste management and pest control sectors.

Among the 27 award recipients was Noor Azmi Bin Ranai, 41, a senior operations manager at facilities management services company CBM.

Mr Azmi, who has worked in the field for more than 20 years, said: “I hope more people see the value of this industry and the important role it plays in shaping society as a whole.”

DPM Heng also provided an update on receiving $300 e-vouchers for households living in Housing Authority flats to purchase eco-friendly home appliances. As of October, 73 percent of eligible households had redeemed their vouchers, of which a third had started using them.

In April it was reported that 1.1 million HDB households would be able to receive these vouchers, valid until 31 December 2027.

“I encourage more households to also start buying them back,” said DPM Heng.

Before speaking at Utown, Mr Heng joined 160 NUC students and staff for a tree planting ceremony where 50 new trees were planted. This brings the total number of trees on the NUS campus to 50,000.

Also attending the tree planting ceremony were Minister of Sustainable Development and Environment Grace Fu, Minister of National Development Desmond Lee, South West District Mayor Low Yen Lin and representatives of participating agencies.

Since 2020, NParks has been working with the community to plant 700,000 trees across Singapore, moving towards its 2030 goal of one million trees.

DPM Heng also launched the Public Hygiene Council’s (PHC) newest CleanPod at West Coast Park. This is a shed where people can take trash collection tools such as tongs and buckets to clean up the area.

CleanPods are designed to make it easier for the public to organize cleaning events. There are now 21 CleanPods located in various parks, beaches and residential complexes. More information on how to access CleanPod can be found on the PHC website.