Tharman to head new National Jobs Council

Singapore

SINGAPORE will set up a National Jobs Council with Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam at its helm, to oversee the S$2 billion SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package.

The appointment, announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Tuesday, puts Mr Tharman in charge of a range of schemes meant to add positions and train workers.

The National Jobs Council's efforts will be integrated with ongoing work by the Future Economy Council (FEC) and its sectoral industry transformation maps, Mr Heng said during his fourth Budget speech in the House.

"To ensure that the strategy can be implemented well, and to sustain the momentum of current efforts, careful design of the schemes and attention to implementation details are critical."

The initiatives under the Jobs and Skills Package include public- and private-sector hiring drives, traineeships and full-time courses. More than 95,500 workers are expected to benefit from the various schemes this year.

By bringing together the National Jobs Council and the FEC, Mr Heng - who is also Finance Minister and FEC chairman - remarked: "In this way, we can marshall all our experiences and expertise to manage the huge changes that are coming our way."

Mr Tharman "has both detailed knowledge and deep expertise", Mr Heng added, citing his predecessor's roles as co-ordinating minister for social policies and former portfolio-holder for finance and education.