SWA seals MoU with NTUC to accelerate opportunities in the local water sector

In an attempt to strengthen business cooperation and spur workforce transformation within the local water sector, the Singapore Water Association (SWA) and National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an aim to foster partnerships and build capabilities among Singapore water companies to emerge stronger through digitalisation, sustainability, business transformation, training and internationalisation.

Witnessing the MoU signing on 2 Dec 2021 were Ng Chee Meng, secretary-general of NTUC, and Harry Seah, deputy chief executive of PUB, Singapore’s national water agency. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Singapore Water Industry Nite (SWIN), which returned in a virtual edition after a two-year hiatus.

Representing about 300 companies, the SWA will be engaging its members to participate in the Group Operation and Technology Roadmap (OTR) that will be introduced in Q1 2022. This initiative brings together the relevant agencies – including PUB, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), NTUC U SME, and NTUC Training and Transformation Group – to ultimately uplift the republic’s water industry and workforce.

Starting this month, the SWA has also launched an online Digi Expo. The platform features an international language interface chatbot for global visitors, and offers visitors to network and gain leads for their business and stay up-to-date with industry events via the Programme Feed and Resource Pages. Businesses can also leverage on the platform to hire new talents and keep track of visits and updates via the activity log.

And next year, the SWA will be forming a Singapore Pavilion of more than 40 companies at the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) 2022. Taking place from 17-21 Apr 2022 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre in Singapore, SIWW 2022 will be held in a new format amidst the pandemic challenges with key focuses on climate resilience, resource circularity, and digital water.