Employers in the Food & Beverage, Retail as well as Hotel and Accommodations sectors are recruiting local workers with a passion for service and the right service skills. The Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) has organised a job fair to recruit skilled service workers. In particular, service professionals who have been trained on the Certified Service Professional programme, developed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), have been invited.

'The Certified Service Professional programme aims to instil the right service mindset in workers so that they breathe, live and walk service excellence. Since we started in May, over 30 classes have been conducted and close to 600 Singaporeans and PRs have received a Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) certificate. More than 60 of them have found jobs while many others are currently undergoing interviews. These are early indications of the programme's success in not only improving the participants' employment opportunities but also industry recognition of its value.' commented Mr Ong Ye Kung, Chief Executive of WDA.

Certified service professionals have been employed in a variety of positions such as guest relations manager, retail assistants, tour consultant and even front desk reservation officer. Mdm June Lee, in her early 50s, is one such worker who benefited. Formerly a housewife who had left the workforce a decade ago to look after her family, she chose to get out of her comfort zone by enrolling for the CSP programme upon advice from her career consultant from the Central Community Development Council (CDC). On the last day of the programme, she told her fellow participants, 'I have regained my confidence and am ready to rejoin the workforce.' Today, she is a competent F&B supervisor, working happily alongside her younger superiors and colleagues.

Similarly, Siti Suriyaton aged 40, has 12 years of experience in the manufacturing industry but was retrenched recently. She decided to embrace a new challenge of working in the tourism industry, which she has no experience in. Encouraged by e2i, which has schemes to place retrenched workers like her into employment, she underwent four days of pre-employment training in addition to the CSP programme. In two months, she was offered a retail position with RISIS and is earning at least $200 more (including commission) than her previous salary.

Muhd Nizar Bin Jaafar, aged 22, has only GCE 'N' level qualifications but with the relevant skills-set, he has a bright career ahead as a management trainee with Sakae Sushi. Besides the 20 management trainee positions that Sakae Sushi is offering at the job fair, there are also 80 service crew positions. Mr Douglas Foo supports the CSP programme as a tool that can raise service standards here. 'With the Certified Service Professional programme, employers can tap on a quality pool of skilled workers who are ready for the demands of the service workplace. This in turn allows employers to gain a competitive advantage. More importantly, it will raise the overall service standard in Singapore.'

Other employers at this job fair include Muji Pte Ltd, Carrefour, Cedele by Bakery Depot, Home-fix DIY, Orchid Country Club, Royal Plaza on Scotts and Thaiexpress Concepts Pte Ltd, offering positions from rank and file to supervisory and managerial levels. In addition, full-time, part-time or flexible shift work arrangements are available.

Members of the public who are interested to sign up for the Certified Service Professional programme can do so at any of the eight training organisations1 approved by WDA or call the hotline at 68835885. Those who require employment assistance or career counselling can also approach the five CDCs or e2i.