More Support to Help Full-Time National Servicemen Transit to Work or Studies

Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How (left) and Ministry of Defence’s Director Manpower Mr Lee Chung Wei (second from left) interacting with full-time national servicemen at the SkillsFuture Advice Workshop during his visit to the Enhanced Career and Education Fair.

More than 4,000 Full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) will attend the Enhanced Career and Education Fair (ECEF) at Suntec City Convention Centre. Organised by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) since 2015, the ECEF is held on a quarterly basis for NSFs as they approach their last three to six months of National Service to prepare them for employment or further studies.

Senior Minister of State for Defence Mr Heng Chee How and Senior Parliamentary Secretary, MHA, Ms Sun Xueling visited the ECEF this morning. During their visit, they were briefed on the latest enhancements to the ECEF, which are part of the SkillsFuture@NS initiatives introduced by MINDEF at the Committee of Supply Debates earlier this year in March. Mr Heng and Ms Sun observed the SkillsFuture Advice workshop and interacted with NSF participants. The hour-long workshop aims to guide participating NSFs in making informed choices after completing National Service, whether in work or higher studies. A digital Career Starter Pack (NS Version) – developed by Workforce Singapore as a one-stop guide to equip NSFs with the necessary tools for job seeking – was also launched today.

Speaking after his visit, Mr Heng underscored the importance of supporting NSFs in their transition to school or the workplace. He said, "There are so many opportunities, and if you are looking at what kind of skills are needed in the economy of today and tomorrow, it is constantly changing and evolving. So this is a never ending journey, but it is also a commitment on the part of MINDEF and the SAF to constantly review what would be relevant and then to work alongside our partners, education institutions as well as employers in order to bring the latest, best and most relevant information to our NSFs."

57 exhibitors from key economic sectors^[1] and 15 Institutes of Higher Learning present at the one-day Fair offered employment and education opportunities to NSF participants. More than 400 NSFs are expected to be placed into jobs at each ECEF. Senior Parliamentary Secretary, MHA, Ms Sun Xueling, said, "We have seen sustained interest from employers to partake in the quarterly Enhanced Career and Education Fair. This year, we have 57 participating organisations from a diverse range of industries like aviation, hospitality and infocomms and technology. We are encouraged by the industry response thus far and hope many more will step forward in support of our national servicemen."

Mr Heng and Ms Sun were accompanied by MINDEF's Director Manpower Lee Chung Wei, MHA's Director of NS Affairs Rupert Gwee, senior officials from MINDEF and MHA, as well as the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) Employer and Business (E&B) Council.

^[1] Singapore's key economic sectors include electronics, precision engineering, and logistic and supply chain management.

Mr Heng interacting with career exhibitors at the Enhanced Career and Education Fair.

More Resources

Fact Sheet: SkillsFuture@NS Initiatives and Improvements to the Enhanced Career and Education Fair