SINGAPORE - When Mr Roy Ee started out as an air-conditioning technician nearly two decades ago, the hours were long and he was constantly covered in grease and dirt.

There were months when he fretted over whether he would be able to make ends meet and provide financially for his family. Wanting a better future for them, he decided to pursue further studies, eventually attaining an undergraduate degree and various professional certifications.

Mr Ee, 40, is now a director at energy solutions company Engie Services Singapore and manages more than 500 employees. He believes that having discipline was key to his success, as it helped him push through the struggle of juggling work, family and studying part-time for a degree.

He said: “I think learning is really a form of self-improvement, for you to be able to do things better and have a better life and future.

“Over the years, I have progressed, and I want to see the people around me getting to progress as well. So I always encourage my colleagues to upskill so that they can do better.”

Mr Ee, who started work with an Institute of Technical Education certification, passes on what he has learnt by sharing his experience with students from institutes of higher learning through the iBuildSG Built Environment Formation programme, an industry preparatory programme.

He was one of 12 individuals presented with SkillsFuture Fellowships by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Monday in recognition of their dedication and commitment towards skills mastery and development.

In his speech at the awards ceremony, President Tharman said that much like education, advancing in skills through life can be either a source of inequality or an equaliser.

He said: “Without a national system, if we just leave it to the market of enterprises and we leave it to individuals, it can very well become a source of inequality.”

In many cases, it is better-educated professionals who take advantage of continual learning, more so than blue-collar workers or ordinary white-collar workers. The professionals thus move further ahead, making lifelong learning a source of inequality, said the President, adding that this happens naturally all over the world.

“We want to avoid lifelong learning becoming a source of inequality, and make it instead an equaliser, and that is what we are going to do in Singapore – an equaliser across the workforce. And an equaliser across firms so that small firms are not disadvantaged compared to large firms, which is again what will happen if we just leave it to the market,” he said.

This is where the national SkillsFuture movement comes in to support all sectors of workers and companies in skills upgrading.

Mr Tharman also said that more can be done for individuals and groups who may not be in the workforce continually. This includes women who take time off work to raise their families, as well as caregivers.

His comments come days after the Forward Singapore report set out the Government’s focus on SkillsFuture as a key pillar of the social compact, with more financial support to help mature mid-career Singaporeans access training.

The SkillsFuture Fellowships, which are in their seventh year, are conferred upon Singaporeans who have pursued mastering their skills in their respective fields, embrace the spirit of lifelong learning, and are committed to mentoring and inspiring others. Each of the awardees received $10,000.

At Monday’s event at Gardens by the Bay, Mr Tharman also presented the SkillsFuture Employer Award to 24 employers which were exemplary in developing their employees’ skills and capabilities and in fostering a culture of lifelong learning at the workplace. 

The event was also attended by Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing, and Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang.

Among the employers recognised was retailer DFS, which offers employees financial assistance for education, paid study leave, and half-day Fridays in July and August to motivate them to proactively enhance their skills and well-being.

The company said it sees investing in employees’ development as an investment in the company’s future success.

“While there are associated costs, the returns in terms of a more skilled and adaptable workforce are well worth it. We’ve seen significant benefits in terms of enhanced productivity, innovation, and the ability to adapt to evolving industry trends,” it said.

Another SkillsFuture Fellowship recipient, Mr Lok Eng Keat, has developed and conducted lighting modules at the Singapore Media Academy, and helped the Academy to retrain those who lost their jobs during the pandemic.

The 53-year-old, who was cited by Mr Tharman as a role model, also graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Digital Media) from the Singapore University of Social Sciences last year.

When asked why he decided to pursue the degree, Mr Lok attributed it to his desire to teach and pass on skills to others.

He said: “When I wanted to provide coaching or training, the first question they asked me was whether I had a degree, and because I did not have one, I could not go there. And so I decided, I need to get a degree.”

The senior manager leading a team of lighting designers at Mediacorp also said it is important to him to make sure others working in the niche industry of lighting design are able to thrive despite the constant changes in technology.

On his passion for the job, Mr Lok said: “When I was younger, I would ask my parents what the best job in the world was, and they told me, the best job is not ‘doctor’ or ‘lawyer’, it’s the one that you love.”