SME Digital Reboot programme to help SMEs in Singapore deepen digital capabilities

SMALL and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore will get targeted help to deepen their digital capabilities under an SME Digital Reboot programme launched on Tuesday.

The programme will offer digital resources and tools, training in five key tracks of digitalisation and on-ground implementation support in the form of workplace learning sessions.

It is targeting to help 500 companies of all sizes by 2022, but will focus its outreach strongly on SMEs. This is as SMEs often perceive digital transformation as costly, and are unaware of the assistance available to them for such initiatives, the programme's partners said in a joint press statement.

NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) is leading the joint effort. It signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NTUC U SME, UOB's innovation accelerator The FinLab and Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) on Tuesday to officially launch the programme.

Said Eugene Wong, chairman of NTUC LHUB: "SMEs are key engines of our economy, yet 40 per cent of SMEs surveyed cited the lack of support and expertise as barriers to digitalisation. As the digital wave sweeps over Singapore, it is crucial for SMEs to effectively reboot their businesses to stay competitive and drive Singapore's growth."

In the initial stages, NTUC U SME will leverage its network of SMEs and associations to boost outreach efforts. The FinLab will provide companies with access to digital resources and tools on The FinLab Online to help them understand their business needs and determine a sustainable digitalisation strategy.

NTUC LHUB and NP will provide training in five areas, namely digital communication and collaboration, workflow automation, process automation, data processes and visualisation, and digital marketing. Following the training, NP lecturers, graduates and students will conduct workplace learning sessions to ensure effective on-ground implementation.

NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng expressed confidence that the programme will encourage a "positive mindset shift" in SME employers to invest in their workers and upskill to keep pace with the need for digitalisation.

"NTUC, LHUB and our unions will continue to partner our employers to transform their workforce as technology is fast evolving the workplace and business operations," he said.

A pilot programme has already benefited 38 SMEs and two multinational corporations (MNCs). Thirty of these early adopters were employment agencies, and the Association of Employment Agencies Singapore (AEAS) will be helping to get more of such companies involved.

AEAS signed an MOU with NTUC U SME on Tuesday, pledging to help its members kickstart their digital transformation through the SME Digital Reboot programme.

Employment agencies are often manpower-lean and unaware of the resources available to help them streamline repetitive work or improve their visibility online, said president K Jayaprema.

"For SMEs, sometimes it gets very lonely. Unlike MNCs, they don't have departments to handle different things. One person does it all," she said.

"This ecosystem is crucial for SMEs to progress, if not they will feel very lost. The role of the association is to draw them in and direct them to what else is out there to support their businesses."