Industry 4.0 technologies key to advancing Singapore's manufacturing sector: Tan See Leng

THE successful adoption of the Industry 4.0 technologies, and the development of a higher skilled workforce, are key to advancing Singapore's goals of becoming the global innovation and talent hub for advanced manufacturing, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng at a doorstop visit on Wednesday.

To help companies achieve this, Dr Tan highlighted the few measures that have been put in place to encourage the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. These include the Industry 4.0 Human Capital Initiative (IHCI), which had gathered more than 90 companies' participation and identified more than 1,500 job roles to be redesigned.

Launched by Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) in March last year, the initiative is targeted to help another 210 manufacturing companies, especially SMEs, to adopt the Industry 4.0 solutions to transform jobs and rescale the workforce by 2022.

Earlier this year, WSG also launched the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) for Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) and Operators, including mid-career switchers to undergo skills conversion and move into Industry 4.0 related job roles within the manufacturing sector.

While the programme is estimated to benefit 200 trainees by 2023, Dr Tan said he hopes more manufacturing companies will tap the available resources aimed at helping their business grow.

He cited the example of Francis Pang, assistant director of IT at Souperfoods, on how he was promoted to his current role in April this year thanks to the company's decision to embrace Industry 4.0.

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Mr Pang now leads the development of the Internet of Things' ecosystem at Souperfoods, which manages F&B chain The Soup Spoon, streamlining processes and helping to improve the company's productivity.

The series of measures are part of the government's plans to achieve its goal to help Singapore's manufacturing sector remain globally competitive.

Dr Tan ended his speech by calling on companies to utilise the programmes and resources available to adopt the Industry 4.0 solutions, "to grow and retain their local manpower core", adding that there is potential for Singapore's manufacturing sector to grow to become the best in the world.

In 2020, the manufacturing sector contributed to 20 per cent of Singapore's GDP, employing more than 470,000 workers.