Integrating Employment and Training in Singapore: The Case of LHUB and e2i
Chia-Wei Liao, Wen-Ying Hsieh*
Abstract
How to integrate employment and training to maximize the efficiency of the resources in the labour market? The objective of this study is to explore the pattern of how the labor, the capitalists, and the government in Singapore cooperated during the 1997 Asian financial crisis to enforce the integration of manpower training and employment services under the industry-led LHUB (NTUC LearningHub) and achieve effective employment in e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) in order to create Singapore's integration mechanism of long-term stable employment. The results of this study are as follows: First, the object of this study had a direct relation to both manpower training and job market in Singapore. The cooperation pattern of NTUC (National Trades Union Congress), capitalists and government have maintained harmonious labour relations and avoided conflicts. Second, LHUB had an important contribution to the development of human resources in Singapore, as industries have full confidence in the manpower training system. Third, e2i had an important contribution to the employment service in Singapore as the “one-stop employment service” and the “ability of industry survey and job development team” have combined industries entirely. Fourth, during the 2008 financial crisis, Singapore maintained a low unemployment rate because of the systemic-cooperation of labor, capitalists and government in response to changes in the market structure, and industries have adjusted themselves in the transition, too. Finally, based on the findings, several suggestions are proposed for the Taiwan government in making its employment and training service policy.
Keywords: Singapore, employment service, training, collaborative governance, public-private partnership
* Chia-Wei Liao, Doctoral Student of Graduate School of Vocational and Technological Education, National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, e-mail: d10443011@yuntech.edu.tw; Wen-Ying Hsieh, Professor of Graduate School of Vocational and Technological Education, National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, e-mail:
hsiehwy@yuntech.edu.tw.