Sembcorp Solar Singapore, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries, has been appointed as the first SkillsFuture Queen Bee for the Energy and Power sector. SkillsFuture Queen Bees are well-established and well-respected companies in the ecosystem, who partner SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to uplift many other businesses, through skills training that facilitate growth and business transformation. Queen Bee companies are industry leaders with strong sectoral expertise, industry standing and ability to influence other companies, particularly small and medium sized enterprises.

As a SkillsFuture Queen Bee, Sembcorp Solar will collaborate with SSG to deliver more than 1,800 training places and provide mentorship for over 40 proof-of-concept projects focused on solar energy in Singapore over a three-year period. The initiative will help participants acquire a diverse set of technical skills to meet the industry’s current and future needs.

During this three-year collaboration, Sembcorp Solar will enhance the Singapore solar energy ecosystem by focusing on two main areas of upskilling:

• Learning courses: Through a partnership with Sembcorp Industries’ global learning institute, known as Sembcorp Academy, Sembcorp Solar will progressively introduce a comprehensive series of hands-on classroom-based and asynchronous e-learning courses curated according to skill level, from new entrants to experienced professionals.These courses, encompassing a broad spectrum of topics across the entire value chain of solar project development, are designed to help companies enhance their workforce skills and stay aligned with the evolving demands of the industry.
• Mentorship for Proof-of-Concept projects: Participating companies will be provided with opportunities under Sembcorp Solar’s mentorship to develop proof-of-concept projects aimed at transforming their operations related to solar energy. They will receive guidance on assessing the feasibility of scaling up ideas, with the goal of improving productivity and profitability.

Robert Chong, Chief Corporate & Human Resource Officer, Sembcorp Industries, said, “We are honoured to be recognised as the first SkillsFuture Queen Bee for the Energy and Power sector. This partnership with SSG underscores our commitment to advance the solar industry through innovation and skills development. Sembcorp’s comprehensive training courses are designed to drive industry-wide upskilling and foster capabilities building in this sector. By leveraging our extensive expertise and resources, we are dedicated to empowering companies with the knowledge and support they need to thrive.”

Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive of SkillsFuture Singapore, said, “Workers and companies will need to bring on board new capabilities, to enable the green transition of our economy. Skills related to solar energy projects have been identified to be fast-growing in demand in SSG’s Skills Demand for the Future Economy Report 2023/24. Sembcorp Solar is well placed to promulgate such capabilities among our workforce and with our companies, particularly SMEs. We are very pleased that Sembcorp Solar has leaned forward to take on a leadership role in this space, and we warmly welcome the company as a Queen Bee into our hive.”

Sembcorp Industries is a leading renewable energy player in Asia with a global renewables portfolio of 14.4GW. In Singapore, it offers a full suite of solutions from ground-mount to rooftop and floating solar photovoltaic systems, along with energy storage technologies. This vast experience enables companies to benefit from in-depth industry knowledge and support in areas such as business and project development, asset management and digital analytics, from a fully integrated solar developer.