New centre for trade associations will identify needs, provide tailored guidance, strengthen secretariats
Such initiatives empower SMEs to tackle challenges through collaboration and shared resources, says MTI Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling
THE newly-opened Trade Association Committee (Tacom) Transformation Centre will analyse the specific needs of Singapore’s trade associations and chambers (TACs), provide customised guidance, and enhance their secretariats’ capabilities.
“The TACs play an important role of the ‘ABC’ – advocate for members; bridge the communication; and connect the enterprise ecosystem within your sector,” said Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling at the centre’s launch on Wednesday (Aug 28).
The new centre is located in the Trade Association Hub (TA Hub) at Jurong Town Hall Road. Set up by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) and supported by Enterprise Singapore, it will undertake an in-depth analysis of trade associations’ specific needs to devise a targeted road map.
One other focus of the centre is to provide tailored solutions and road maps as well as in-depth strategic guidance to trade associations and help them implement projects.
To this end, Tacom Transformation Centre will receive full support from and share resources with SCCCI, including its Institute of Business, Singapore Enterprise Centres in China and SME Centre@SCCCI, said the chamber’s president Kho Choon Keng.
The centre will also continue to boost the competencies of trade association secretariats in important areas such as sustainability, digitalisation, and internationalisation, to empower them to drive industry transformation through their own initiatives.
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It will focus on supporting SCCCI’s more than 150 member trade associations, particularly smaller members, though its services will also be open to non-members.
Previously in 2022, with the support of SkillsFuture Singapore, SCCCI had developed a foundational training course for trade association secretariat staff. It aimed to professionalise these staff, by equipping them with the relevant skill sets to operationalise the industry development and transformation initiatives of the trade associations.
In total, 29 trade association secretariat staff were trained in 2023.
Said Low: “This centre represents SCCCI’s continued commitment to supporting not only its members, but also the wider TAC community in their growth, industry transformation, and collaboration with each other.”
Recounting the progress made by the TAC community, Low noted that the TA Hub’s launch in 2017 marked the start of efforts to unite TACs under one roof, “because we think it’s important to put everyone together and to share best practices”.
Since then, the TA Hub has not only offered affordable shared facilities, services and event spaces to TACs, but also aimed to build a stronger TAC community founded on the principles of mutual support and collaboration.
In the same year, SCCCI also set up Tacom as a platform to tackle key challenges TACs face.
This was followed by the 2022 launch of the TA Growth Model and TA Competency Framework for TACs, which help TACs identify gaps and needs, as well as attract, retain and develop talent.
“These developments highlight the growth of our TAC ecosystem, which ultimately benefits and supports the future and growth of our enterprises,” Low said. TACs ensure that industry concerns on the ground are addressed.
“At the same time, initiatives like the Tacom Transformation Centre empower our SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) to tackle challenges through collaboration and shared resources.”
Added Kho: “By providing customised solutions to enhance trade association initiatives and strengthening secretariat capabilities, we aim to empower our trade associations to be active players in industry transformation and be a key partner of the government in the next lap of Singapore’s economic development.”
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