24/10/2019

Skills Framework For Workplace Safety And Health (WSH)

The Skills Framework for WSH is jointly developed by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), Workforce Singapore (WSG) and Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC) together with employers, industry associations, education and training providers and the union. Examples of partners include the Singapore Institution of Safety Officers, Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd, Singapore University of Social Sciences and Ngee Ann Polytechnic. It provides information on the sector, career pathways, occupations/job roles, skills and competencies, and training programmes.

It aims to create a common skills language for individuals, employers, and education and training providers. This further facilitates skills recognition and supports the design of training programmes for skills and career development.

In addition, it is developed to build deep skills for a lean workforce, enhance business competitiveness, and support employment and employability. The Skills Framework for the WSH will also play a part in the supporting the WSH 2028 target.

Skills Framework for WSH Supports the WSH 2028 Target

The WSH 2028 target aims to lower the number of workplace fatalities to less than 1.0 per 100,000 workers by 2028.

The Skills Framework for WSH supports the WSH 2028 target by ensuring the WSH workforce is equipped with the necessary skills and talent to help the sector progress. This is achieved through identifying pivotal jobs in the WSH domain, outlining possible career pathways for talent attraction and retention, as well as articulating existing and emerging skills to support the growth and transformation of the profession.

Job roles in the WSH domain will evolve with digitalisation and automation, and existing professionals must be equipped with new skills and competencies. For example, competency in data synthesis will allow WSH officers to track the latest megatrends of manual handling injuries or identify new areas of injury risk, while knowledge of technology infrastructure management and integration will enable WSH officers to evaluate the latest available technologies to integrate into their existing operations, which will increase work efficiency and cost savings.

The Skills Framework for WSH will recommend relevant training programmes and skills required to help the existing professionals tackle the changing WSH landscape.



Who is the Skills Framework for WSH for?

The Skills Framework for WSH will benefit four key groups:

• Individuals who wish to join or progress within the WSH domain, will be able to assess their career interest, identify relevant training programmes to upgrade their skills, and prepare for their desired jobs;
• Employers will be able to recognise these skills and invest in training their employees for career development and skills upgrading;
  

• Education and training providers can gain insights on sector trends, existing and emerging skills that are in demand, and design programmes to address the sector needs accordingly; and

• Government, union and professional bodies will be able to analyse skills gaps and design appropriate SkillsFuture initiatives to upgrade the manpower capability and professionalise the sector.
  

Key components of the Skills Framework

The Skills Framework for WSH contains information on the sector, career pathways, occupations/job roles, skills and competencies, and training programmes. The key components include:

• Sector information – provides information on key statistics, trends and workforce profiles in the sector, such as WSH managers, Industrial Hygienists and WSH Auditors. With this information, WSH sector professionals can understand the future WSH landscape and how they can adapt to meet the sector requirements
  
• Career pathways – depicts pathways for vertical and lateral progression for advancement and growth. Three tracks have been identified, covering 11 job roles:
  
  o Operational Control;
  o System Audit;
  o Corporate

• Skills and competencies – identifies a total of 53 existing and emerging technical skills and competencies, on top of 18 generic skills and competencies. Some of the emerging skills identified include:
  o Cloud Computing Application – Manage cloud computing technologies to offer a collaborative framework with centralised storage and contact points, fewer visibility barriers, and opportunities to enact simplified, standardised processes:
  
  o Data Synthesis – Analyse data to monitor the processes for operations or process flow optimisation;
  
  o Internet of Things Management – Interrelate computing devices, equipment and machines’ data in a networked environment to provide specific solutions;
  
  o Technology Application – Apply and integrate evaluated technologies into organisation operations or processes to achieve desired outcomes;
  
  o Technology Infrastructure Management and Integration – Evaluate latest available technologies to integrate into existing operations to reduce costs.

• Training programmes for skills upgrading and mastery – provides information on training programmes to help aspiring individuals and current WSH professionals acquire skills necessary for various job roles.

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  For more information on the Skills Framework for Workplace Safety and Health and training programmes, please visit www.skillsfuture.gov.sg/skills-framework/wsh