The inaugural batch of 17 inmates from the TAP (Train And Place) & Grow – Precision Engineering Training Programme graduated today.¹ A ceremony was held at the Changi Prison Complex to mark the occasion, graced by Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry of National Development, who delivered an opening address.

 

Started in 2020, the Precision Engineering Training Programme is a collaboration between Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG), Singapore Precision Engineering and Technology Association (SPETA) and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP). The programme is part of YRSG’s TAP & Grow initiative, which brings together like-minded employers, training institutions and community partners to set up training academies inside prisons. This initiative provides inmates with industry-specific training to facilitate their recruitment into relevant industries after their release. Under the TAP & Grow initiative, YRSG has also partnered Mediacorp and the Singapore Logistics Association (SLA) respectively to conduct media and logistics training for inmates.

 

The Precision Engineering Training Programme aims to train and prepare inmates for jobs in the precision engineering industry after their release. After completing the required modules, participants will be awarded the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Advanced Certificate in Precision Engineering.² They will also be eligible to enroll in the ensuing Diploma in Precision Engineering programme at NYP upon their release.

 

Graduates of the programme will be hired full-time, with on-the-job training, by SPETA members as Quality Assurance Technicians or Machinists. YRSG’s career coaches will also work closely with participating companies, for up to 12 months after the inmates’ release, to provide career retention support by helping ex-offenders re-integrate into the workforce and remain gainfully employed. In addition, suitable candidates will be sent for further upskilling in the WSQ Diploma in Precision Engineering by SPETA members, and can look forward to improved career progression upon completion of the 16-month work and study course.

 

NYP’s Principal & Chief Executive Officer, Ms Jeanne Liew (刘珍妮) said: “This collaboration with YRSG and SPETA will enable inmates to undergo professional training pre-release, and provide them with a head-start in precision engineering jobs. Building on what they have learnt in the WSQ course, the diploma programme will further equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills for them to excel in the precision engineering sector.”

 

“Since 2020, SPETA has worked closely with YRSG to champion this inaugural initiative which aims to reintegrate the ex-offenders into the workforce. We strongly believe in offering inmates an

opportunity to be deployed in machining or more technical roles with our Precision Engineering members. SPETA also looks forward to further our collaborations with YRSG for the Precision Engineering industry,” said Mr Philip Kia (程宇超), Deputy Chairman, SPETA.

 

“We are proud of the graduands. It was not an easy course. They demonstrated persistence and grit to overcome the challenges and completed the course. This successful collaboration with SPETA and NYP is a strong testimony of society’s readiness and support for second chances and the graduands’ determination to make good another chance to rebuild their lives. Together, we can build a more inclusive and cohesive society,” said Mr Matthew Wee Yik Keong (黄毅强), Chief Executive Officer, YRSG.

 

¹ The TAP & Grow – Precision Engineering Training Programme comprises WSQ Advanced Certificate in Precision Engineering, SkillsFuture Digital Skills module and two modules in WSQ Diploma in Precision Engineering.

 

² The WSQ is a national credential and continuing education and training (CET) system. It trains and certifies skills and competencies for the workforce, and participants assessed to be competent will be awarded the Statement of Attainment for each module.