Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) is launched

In 2003, Singapore was still recovering from a series of regional and world disasters such as the 1997 Asian financial crisis, 2001 September 11 attacks, 2002 Bali bombings and the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak.^[1] These contributed to the shrinking job market and an increase in retrenchment. Between April and June 2003, Singapore lost a record 25,963 jobs, which was more than the figure for the whole of 2002.^[2]

The Economic Review Committee (ERC) recommended that the government establish a national Continuing Education and Training (CET) body to take charge of the promotion and development of continuing education and training in Singapore so that Singaporeans could remain employable.^[3] Prior to the setting up of such an agency, there were several organisations providing training for the unemployed. These included the Economic Development Board, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the National Trades Union Congress.^[4]

In response to the recommendation of the ERC, the MOM established a statutory board called the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) on 1 September 2003. It was officially launched by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong on 17 September 2003.^[5] The MOM’s permanent secretary Yong Ying-I became WDA’s first chairman, while its deputy secretary (policy and development) was appointed  the first chief executive.^[6] The agency started with a budget of S$320 million and a staff strength of 240. Its board of directors was drawn from both the public and private sectors.^[7]

Following reports that that there was a great urgency in helping about 85,100 unemployed Singaporeans,^[8] the WDA invested in training programmes to help workers gain the skills necessary to find and keep their job. The objective was to ensure that job seekers were equipped with the relevant skills required to fill existing job vacancies. Under the WDA’s Place-and-Train programmes, the unemployed were matched with suitable jobs and then provided with the relevant training.^[9] In the long term, WDA aims to build professional expertise in pedagogy and curriculum development for adult learning and skills certification, and provide the national coordination for continuing education and training, as well as workforce development efforts.^[10]

References
1. Tighter rules won’t bring more jobs… (2003, August 15). The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
2. Chia, S.-A., & Lee, R. (2003, September 13). Agency acts to get jobless back to work. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Singapore. Economic Review Committee. (2003, February). New challenges, fresh goals – Towards a dynamic global city (p. 15). Retrieved September 10, 2014, from Ministry of Trade and Industry website: http://www.mti.gov.sg/ResearchRoom/Documents/app.mti.gov.sg/data/pages/507/doc/1%20ERC_Main_Committee.pdf
4. Lee, B. (2003, February 11). More professionals signing up for re-training. The Straits Times, p. 18. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. A stat board just for workers. (2003, September 17). The Straits Times, p. 9. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
6. Stat board’s here to help job seekers. (2003, September 2). The Straits Times, p. 6. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Teo, L. (2003, August 16). New agency to find jobs just for S’poreans. The Straits Times, p. 12; Chia, S.-A., & Lee, R. (2003, September 18). Agency gets $320m to help workers. The Straits Times, p. 1. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
8. The Straits Times, 13 Sep 2003, p. 1.
9. The Straits Times, 18 Sep 2003, p. 1.
10. Chuang, P. M. (2003, August 16). New stat board to help get jobless back to work. The Business Times, p. 9; Chuang, P. M. (2003, September 15). Agency on a mission of jobs, jobs, jobs. The Business Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.