14/06/2016

Republic Polytechnic Launches Skillsfuture Earn And Learn Programme For Hotel Sector With Largest Student Intake To Date

Inaugural batch sees largest single ELP intake of 48 participants and strong industry support from 54 hotel employers

Republic Polytechnic (RP) welcomed the largest SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programme (ELP) cohort, with 48 fresh diploma graduates enrolled in its first intake of the ELP for Hotel Sector. The programme leads to a Specialist Diploma in Hospitality Business Management.

Officially launched today by Guest-of-Honour Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ms Low Yen Ling, the programme aims to boost the hotel sector’s talent pipeline by nurturing industry professionals with work-ready skillsets. The 48 trainees from the five local polytechnics commenced lessons on 17 May, and have begun working with their respective employers prior to the first day of class.

As the appointed Sector Coordinator and Programme Manager for the Hotel Operations and Management Sector, RP administers the ELP for the sector in partnership with the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). In line with the national SkillsFuture movement, the 12-month structured work-study programme offers polytechnic graduates from relevant hospitality-related diplomas a head start in their careers, providing opportunities for students to deepen sector-specific skills through classroom learning and real-world application.

The programme has received strong support from the industry, with a total of 54 hotel partners having expressed commitment in enrolling participants in the ELP. The 48 trainees have been placed with 26 of these hotels, including Conrad Centennial Singapore, Grand Hyatt Singapore and Marina Bay Sands, among others, while the rest of the hotels are committed to enrol participants in the next intake(s). A total of 290 placements for the ELP (Hotel Sector) are projected for the next three years.

"We are heartened by the strong student participation and industry support for the programme's inaugural intake. Amidst growth in the industry, hoteliers also recognise that to remain competitive, it is imperative to enhance productivity through employee upskilling and in keeping abreast of industry developments through training. We are confident that through this structured and holistic programme, the participants will be better prepared to serve and to excel in their careers and support the growing hotel sector," said Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO of Republic Polytechnic.

WDA’s Chief Executive, Mr Ng Cher Pong said, "It is very encouraging to have the highest number of participants for the Hotel ELP, a testament that the hotel sector is increasingly being seen by Singaporeans as an attractive career avenue to pursue. The attractiveness of the ELP is that it allows for individuals to undergo a structured training process which not only includes classroom training but also on-the-job training, while they are employed. It is indeed a very promising start to see 26 hotels, both small and large players in the industry, come on board to support this programme. This shows the strong support among employers in this sector for the ELP. Such support is necessary to create the right job opportunities and career pathway for aspiring hospitality professionals."

Participants of the ELP are full-time employees at their respective hotels while undergoing on-the-job training and facilitated classroom and e-learning lessons offered by RP. Participants will also engage in company-based projects as part of the Specialist Diploma, designed to integrate theory and practice, and receive dedicated mentorship from company mentors to ensure continued skills development. They are expected to be deployed within the participating companies in areas such as front office, sales and marketing, revenue management, reservations and uniform services, and can look forward to career and wage advancements upon completing the programme, subject to performance.

As part of the curriculum delivery, ELP participants will also have the benefit of utilising state-of-the-art facilities in RP’s dedicated Hotel Lab for training in a realistic hotel environment. The lab is equipped with a full suite of front and back of house hotel facilities, and features digital and technological solutions such as robotics to enhance students’ training.

At the launch, Parl Sec Low also announced that RP will be extending its next run of ELP for the Hotel sector to ITE graduates in October 2016, providing ITE graduates with opportunities to progress and attain a part-time Diploma in Business Practice (Hospitality Management) through the ELP route. This new pathway which was announced during the Ministry of Education’s Committee of Supply debate in April this year will open up more opportunities for ITE graduates and help them grow their careers in this sector.

About Republic Polytechnic

The first educational institution in Singapore to leverage the Problem-based Learning approach for all its diploma programmes, Republic Polytechnic (RP) has seven schools and one academic centre offering forty-two diplomas in Applied Science, Engineering, Management and Communication, Events and Hospitality, Infocomm, Sports, Health & Leisure, and Technology for the Arts.

Republic Polytechnic is committed to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial learning in an environment that develops problem-solving skills and lifelong learning opportunities. Its holistic and broad-based curriculum prepares students for an active and meaningful role in society as problem solvers, respected professionals and passionate citizens.

Republic Polytechnic strives for excellence by achieving various international and national accreditations, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 22301, Singapore Quality Class, People Developer, Innovation Class, and Service Class.

For more information, visit http://www.rp.edu.sg