Reduce your F&B manpower costs with Enhanced Training Support
While most F&B businesses are aware of the wage support (JSS) being provided by the Government, few are taking advantage of the additional support from SkillsFuture Singapore.
As eateries can only offer takeaways and delivery until 1 June, and now with beverage and dessert shops being told to close, your outlet may be a bit overstaffed at the moment – however no employer wants to tell their staff they have to leave, especially at times like this. One way to keep your staff employed is to send them for training.
Subsidised training
In order to help sector-specific SMEs like F&B during this period, the Government introduced Enhanced Training Support of up to 90% of course fees when employers sponsor employees to attend courses by SkillsFuture. This covers eligible courses with commencement dates between 1 April and 31 December 2020.
Keep staff employed
As employees attend these courses, companies will receive enhanced absentee payroll support at 90% of the employee’s hourly basic salary, capped at $10 per hour. So while employers will still have to pay a nominal sum for courses, they can benefit from absentee payroll support and reduce their manpower costs. You can calculate your employee’s hourly basic salary here.
On top of that, your staff will be equipped with new skills which can be put to use when business returns to normal.
How to qualify for Enhanced Training Support
SMEs must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
Registered or incorporated in Singapore
At least 30% local shareholding by Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
Employment size of not more than 200 (at group level) or with annual sales turnover (at group level) of not more than $100 million
Trainees must be hired in accordance with the Employment Act and fully sponsored by their employers for the course
Trainees must be Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
SMEs can submit applications and claims through the online SkillsConnect platform at www.skillsconnect.gov.sg. ETSS will be extended to those who meet the eligibility criteria. The application can be submitted up to 30 days before the course start date and no later than 30 days after the course start date.
Subsidised Course Fees
It’s important to note that training support is up to 90%, so not all courses are subsidised equally. SSG has stated that the subsidy is for priority deep-domain skills (like culinary arts, process innovation) and emerging digital skills. Those by approved training partners such as Asian Culinary Institute, NTUC LearningHub Pte Ltd, SHATEC Institutes and Temasek Polytechnic will be subsidised by 90%.
Some examples of courses you can choose from
You can send service staff for Growing Customer Satisfaction and Service Quality in F&B by Republic Polytechnic
Your sous chef or cooking assistants can go for Prepare Mise En Place (Pastry) by Asian Culinary Institute
Supervisors can attend WSQ Manage Service Performance by NTUC LearningHub
And you can send managers/ supervisors for Surviving & Thriving In The Isolation Economy: Business Model And Technology Innovation by SMU
According to this article, the full course fee is $1,712, but with government grants or SkillsFuture credits, Singaporeans pay as little as $113.60.
How will courses be conducted amid the Covid-19 situation?
SSG has announced that all courses will be held virtually, except for courses that apply to sectors severely affected by Covid-19 (e.g. tourism, aviation, retail, food services, land transport, arts and culture) that require in-person training.
