Are you looking for ways to strategically address skill gaps and unlock diverse talent pools in today's dynamic business landscape? Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) can be your answer! Explore our comprehensive guide as we equip you with insights to navigate CCPs effectively, from eligibility criteria to funding support and application information. With our guidance, you can harness CCPs to drive talent acquisition, retention, and organisational growth!

What is the Career Conversion Programme (CCP)?

The Career Conversion Programme, facilitated by Workforce Singapore (WSG), is a dynamic initiative designed to facilitate the transition of mid-career individuals into new sectors or occupations. It aims to equip individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to embark on new career pathways, thereby fostering a resilient and adaptable workforce.

How many modes of the Career Conversion Programme are there? 

CCPs offers 3 modes tailored to meet the diverse needs and preferences of mid-career individuals seeking career transitions:

1. Place-and-Train: Under this mode, mid-career individuals are hired by participating employers and undergo training to prepare for new job roles within the organisation.

2. Attach-and-Train: This mode provides comprehensive training and work attachments through industry partners in growth sectors. Upon completion, participants are placed in job roles with promising future prospects.

3. Redeployment/Job Redesign (JR) Reskilling: Designed for companies undergoing business transformation, this mode targets existing workers who may face redundancy or are in vulnerable positions due to organisational changes. These workers receive training to transition into new or redesigned job roles within the same company, ensuring continuity and adaptability in the workforce.

What are the benefits of the Career Conversion Programme for employers?

By enrolling existing employees in CCP, companies can access salary support of up to 90%* for 3-6 months, providing several advantages:

• Cost savings on operational expenses through Government funding via Salary Support / Training Allowance
• Enhanced skill development opportunities for employees
• Access to structured, industry-recognized training
• Reskilling of existing employees to assume new growth job roles aligned with Industry Transformation Maps/Jobs Transformation Maps

Employers can also leverage the Career Conversion Programme (CCP) to expand their talent pipeline beyond job-ready candidates, effectively meeting their manpower needs.

*Terms and conditions apply

What are the eligibility criteria for employees to participate in the Career Conversion Programme (CCP)?

Here are the general eligibility criteria for your employees to apply for CCP:

• Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Minimum 21 years old
• Graduated or completed National Service for at least 2 years
• The new job role trained for under the CCP should be substantially different from previous job roles, requiring reskilling for career conversion
• Able to commit to full-time employment or attachment in a participating company

Additionally, other course-specific entry criteria and employer-specific shortlisting processes may apply for different CCPs.

CCP applicants should also not be:

• Shareholders of the CCP participating company or its related entities
• Immediate ex-staff of the CCP participating company or its related entities
• Related to the owners of the CCP participating company.

What are the eligibility criteria for employees to participate in the Career Conversion Programme (CCP)?

For Place-and-Train / Redeployment / Job Redesign (JR) Reskilling:

The participating company must fulfil the following criteria:

• Registered or incorporated in Singapore.
• Must be able to offer the Career Conversion Programme trainee a full-time employment contract on permanent terms or on contract terms that are no less than one (1) year, directly related to the job that the Career Conversion Programme is for, with remuneration that is commensurate with the market rate.
• Commit to the Career Conversion Programme training arrangements for the mid-career individuals that they have selected.
• Be committed to working with WSG or its appointed partner on the necessary administrative matters related to the programme.
• For applications for redeployment/JR Reskilling, companies are required to submit details of their business transformation plan for evaluation by the appointed programme partners.  

Attach-and-Train:

Hosting employers will need to meet the following criteria:

• Registered or incorporated in Singapore.
• Offer full-time attachment positions directly relevant to identified Attach-and-Train job occupations.
• Commit to Attach-and-Train training arrangements.
• Be committed to working with WSG or its appointed partner on programme administrative requirements.

Do SMEs qualify for the Career Conversion Programme?

Yes! SMEs are eligible to apply for the Career Conversion Programme as long as they meet the above criteria.

How can my company sign up for the Career Conversion Programme? 

Career Conversion Programme (CCP) are typically administered by Programme Partners, often industry partners collaborating with companies on CCP initiatives.

If you're interested, you can explore the CCPs currently available. Once you've identified CCPs suitable for your company, you can register your interest by completing this form. The respective Programme Partner will then follow up on your submission.

For applications involving redeployment/JR Reskilling CCPs, companies need to provide details of their business transformation plan for evaluation by the appointed Programme Partners

What are the Career Conversion Programme enhancements?

As announced in MOM’s Committee of Supply 2024, MOM will increase CCP salary support caps and expand eligibility of existing employees who qualify for reskilling into growth jobs.

Salary Support Enhancement

For mature or long-term unemployed workers eligible for up to 90% salary support, the cap will rise from $6,000 to $7,500 per month. Likewise, other CCP participants eligible for up to 70% salary support will see the cap increase from $4,000 to $5,000 per month. With these adjustments, employers can now receive up to $45,000 of salary support for each trainee over a standard six-month programme. Further details on funding rate changes can be found in this MOM site (Annexe A).

Expanded Eligible Job Roles

Previously, CCP reskilling support for existing employees was limited to those in at-risk or vulnerable roles. However, we will now support the reskilling of any existing employee transitioning into growth roles identified under the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) or Jobs Transformation Maps (JTMs).

Integration of Structured Career Planning (SCP) Workshops for Employers/HR

In an effort to help employers prepare their workforce for career transitions, the government introduced Structured Career Planning (SCP) workshops for employers and HR personnel. Initially targeting sectors like Financial Services, Infocomm and Media, Retail, and Precision Engineering, these workshops aim to facilitate meaningful one-to-one career conversations between employers/HR and employees embarking on CCP. Through SCP workshops, line managers and HR professionals will gain the necessary skills to assist workers in crafting comprehensive career development plans.

What is the funding support for Place-and-Train and JR-Reskilling Career Conversion Programme?

Funding support for Place-and-Train and JR-Reskilling CCPs initiatives is primarily facilitated by Workforce Singapore (WSG). Under these programmes, WSG provides financial assistance to employers to help cover the costs associated with training and reskilling their employees. The funding support will be provided to employers, and employers will co-fund the remaining salary.

From 1 April 2024

Table 1: Funding Rates for Place-and-Train / JR-Reskilling CCPs

Note: For selected CCPs where facilitated/structured training is required for individuals to undergo career conversion, course fee subsidy of 70% will be provided. Where applicable, employers can receive a 20% course fee subsidy top-up from SSG’s SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy for mature SCs, or a 20% course fee subsidy top-up from SSG’s Enhanced Training Support for SMEs for SME-sponsored SC/PR employees.

What is the funding support for Attach-and-Train CCPs?

Under this CCP mode, trainees will receive funding support from WSG, with hosting employers contributing a minimum of 10% of the prevailing salary as co-funding.

From 1 April 2024

Table 4: Funding Rates for Attach-and-Train CCPs

* For selected CCPs where facilitated/structured training is required for individuals to undergo career conversion, course fee subsidy of 70% will be provided. Where applicable, employers can receive a 20% course fee subsidy top-up from SSG’s SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy for mature SCs.

#Based on jobs the trainee is being prepared for, to be determined by WSG for each Attach-and-Train CCP

Why use Payboy’s HR software to manage your employee training?

By investing in your employees, you can make sure they know about the latest changes and trends in the industry. This will help your company's bottom line in the long run. 

While Excel or Google Sheets can be used to manage employee training, there are some drawbacks to doing so: 

1. Time-consuming: Maintaining a spreadsheet manually to track staff training progress can be time-consuming, especially if you have a large workforce. Data entry, record updating, and making sure the data is accurate can all take a lot of time.
2. Error-prone: Manual data entering into a spreadsheet raises the chance of typos or other data entry problems.
3. Challenging to produce insightful reports quickly: Putting together insightful reports will require more time and effort on Excel or Google Sheets, instead of just a click of a button on HR software.
4. Limited security: Spreadsheets lack the specialised software's level of protection, making them susceptible to data leaks.

If you're looking for a way to streamline employee training and development, Payboy HR & payroll software may be just what you need. With Payboy’s training management module, you can manage your employees' training progress effortlessly and effectively with these benefits:

1. Easy accessibility: Payboy is cloud-based HR software and it is easy to access the training records of your employees from any device with internet connection.
2. Improved scalability: As your business expands, Payboy can help manage a significant number of employees and training records, making it simpler for larger enterprises to manage the progress of employee training.
3. Automatic renewal reminders: Missing a certification renewal can be costly and make operations a nightmare. Never miss another renewal again with Payboy’s auto-reminder.
4. Customised training checklists: With Payboy, you can customise training checklist for each employee depending on their roles and responsibilities and ensure that all employees are equipped with the necessary training to excel in their roles.

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