The COVID-19 pandemic this year has brought the ES industry into the spotlight, placing greater importance and emphasis on the need for a vibrant, professional, productive and skilled workforce. NEA will continue to champion initiatives to build, attract, and retain a technology-enabled, productive and skilled ES workforce.
Singapore, 23 December 2020 – The National Environment Agency (NEA) is honouring the exceptional contributions and commitment of the Environmental Services (ES) workforce this year by awarding 27 recipients with the ES Star Awards and 350 workers with congratulatory certificates as part of the annual ES Workforce Day. The ES Star Awards recognises the top employees in the ES industry across the three sectors – cleaning, waste management, and pest management services. NEA will also be distributing [1] gift vouchers worth $100 and $50 to all the recipients of the ES Star Awards and congratulatory certificates respectively.
2 This year, in view of the COVID-19 situation, the ES Workforce Day takes on a hybrid approach of a small-scale physical awards ceremony with limited attendees, and virtual appreciation efforts. We are honouring the 27 ES Star Awards recipients at the physical awards ceremony, while extending our appreciation to the entire ES workforce through the Clean and Green Singapore platform (https://www.cgs.gov.sg/cgs2020/es-workforce-day-2020). Certificates and vouchers will be given to awards recipients through their companies.
3 An appreciation video, which features individuals who have either received the ES Star Award or congratulatory certificate, has also been produced to recognise the important contributions of the ES workforce who play a critical role in keeping Singapore clean, and liveable. This video, together with the full list of recipients (ES Star Awards and congratulatory certificates) will be available for viewing by members of the public. (Refer to Annex A for more information on the ES Star Awards and congratulatory certificates.)
4 The recipients of this year’s ES Star Awards come from a variety of backgrounds, including cleaners, waste collection crew, drivers (frontline category), entomologists and project support executives (operations support category), and operation managers and senior supervisors (supervisory category). (Refer to Annex B for more information on the profiles.)
Ongoing Efforts to Prepare A Future-ready ES Workforce
5 The COVID-19 pandemic this year has brought the ES industry into the spotlight, placing greater importance and emphasis on the need for a vibrant, professional, productive and skilled workforce. The Skills Framework for ES is a tool that companies can use to plan their manpower capability needs as part of their business strategy to reap greater efficiency, productivity and growth through synergising of their cleaning, waste management and pest management services. It also provides a list of training programmes available for workers in the sector to acquire new skills or upgrade existing skills.[2] In addition, the Environmental Services Industry Digital Plan will be refreshed to include the pest management sector. More details will be made available next year. [3]
6 At the same time, NEA is constantly working with partners to put in place job redesign processes, and various programmes to help our cleaning professionals upskill and reskill. Earlier this year, NEA collaborated with Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, and Republic Polytechnic to launch new Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses on environmental infection control in non-healthcare facilities. Workforce Singapore (WSG), in partnership with NEA and the Environmental Management Association of Singapore (EMAS), has also rolled out a new Place-and-Train Programme for Cleaning Specialists (Disinfection Services) in August 2020, to meet the increased demand for this job role.
7 Mr Dalson Chung, Director of Industry Development and Promotion Division at NEA, said, “This year has been an exceptional year for the ES industry, as it dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for all the extra hours and time put in by the ES workforce, and we encourage the community to extend their appreciation to these workers in their own ways too. To ensure that the ES industry remains resilient and sustainable, NEA will also continue to work with partner agencies to champion initiatives to attract and retain local talent, upskill the workforce and accelerate technology adoption. We will continue to build stronger businesses and enhance jobs in the ES industry.”
[1] Gift vouchers are cash UNIGIFT vouchers in denominations of $10, which can be used at participating merchants of over 1,000 retail stores.
[3] The ES IDP is part of the SMEs Go Digital programme which makes going digital simple for SMEs. The ES IDP provides a step-by-step guide on the useful digital solutions and worker training that ES SMEs can adopt, at each stage of their growth.
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ANNEX A
ES Star Awards and Congratulatory Certificates
ES Star Awards
1 The ES Star Awards is a top tier award to recognise exemplary ES employees across the three sectors (cleaning services, waste management, and pest management) in three categories (frontline, supervisory and operations support).
2 Recipients of the ES Star Awards included a mix of profiles such as customer-facing executives and support roles. They were nominated by their employers based on the following criteria:
i. Service Excellence
- Nominee has shown commitment towards achieving service quality.
- Nominee has sustained excellence job performance.
ii. Leadership (Applicable for (i) Supervisory/Team Lead and (ii) Operations support nominations only)
- Nominee has motivated the team to strive towards better service and efficiency.
- Nominee is considered a role model by fellow colleagues.
iii. Upgrading/Training
- Nominee has upskilled throughout the years and promoted through the ranks.
- Nominee attends training sessions or courses regularly to attain new knowledge and upgrade.
iv. Received Compliments or Awards
- Nominee has received compliments from public as well as company staff.
- Nominee has received awards previously.
v. Innovation
- Nominee has demonstrated the use of creative and innovative methods to improve service quality, staff welfare, etc.
vi. Contributing to environment sustainability
- Nominee has shown commitment and efforts towards caring for the environment within/outside of his/her work (e.g. using non-disposables, recycling, etc. as well as encouraging people to adopt similar practices).
Congratulatory Certificates
3 Congratulatory certificates will also be given out to another 350 employees of 58 companies in recognition of their outstanding contribution and commitment. Some of these companies include Aardwolf Pestkare (S) Pte Ltd, Chye Thiam Maintenance Pte Ltd, Goodman Environmental Pte Ltd, PNH Resources Pte Ltd, Rentokil Initial Singapore Pte Ltd, Tee Environmental Pte Ltd, and Verminator Pte Ltd, and more. Recipients of these congratulatory certificates include those who had been promoted or received Long Service Awards from their employers (i.e. in service for at least five years with a positive mind-set and willingness to upskill and receive training).
ANNEX B
ES Star Award Recipients
Note:
- Breakdown of 27 Star Award Recipients: Nine recipients per sector (cleaning services, waste management, and pest management), three winners per category (frontline, supervisory and operations support).
- A snapshot of the ES Star Award Recipients is appended below. The full list of award recipients is available at https://www.cgs.gov.sg/cgs2020/es-workforce-day-2020.
| Cleaning Sector |
| Award Category | Name | Description |
| Frontline Category | Mdm Linda Wan, 62 years old Facility Services Specialist, ISS Facility Services Private Limited
| - In service for over five years.
- Fast and efficient with an eye for details and responds quickly to feedback on cleanliness.
- Received a constant stream of positive feedback from doctors, nurses, and fellow colleagues, arising from her efforts and diligence in her work.
- Patiently coaches new housekeepers on cleaning procedures, and correct way of donning and doffing personal protective equipment; and thoroughly checks the quality of cleaning performed by them.
- Positive work attitude has resulted in her earning respect from medical personnel for her professional attitude towards cleaning, which has been a great value-add especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
|
| Operations Support Category | Mr Ravi s/o M G Rajasagaran, 38 years old Operation Manager, Clear3 Environment Pte Ltd | - In service for two years.
- Completed eight Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses and attained an Advanced Certificate in Environmental Services.
- Stepped up to the challenge of conducting cleaning and disinfection services at the foreign worker dormitories.
- Implemented strict protective measures such as proper donning of personal protective equipment to ensure the safety of his team at work.
- Introduced new technology such as the one-man operation vehicle and the battery-operated carts to streamline work processes and maximise work productivity.
|
| Operations Support Category | Ms Liu Yanting Milli, 36 years old Assistant Operations Manager, Ministry of Clean Pte Ltd
| - In service for two years.
- Attained a Diploma in Environmental Services, two WSQ Awards, and completed four in-house training courses.
- Played a key role in supporting the company’s achievement of receiving awards such as the Tripartite Alliance Award 2020.
- Demonstrates leadership qualities by coaching newer employees and leading by example. Also encourages, guides and influences employees to adopt and use technology.
- Made significant positive impact to the organisation, resulting in her promotion from an Administrative Assistant to an Assistant Operations Manager within two years.
|
| Waste Management Sector |
| Award Category | Name | Description |
| Frontline Category | Mr Ker Tee Lye, 61 years old Driver, Transco-Pac Transport & Environmental Pte Ltd | - In service for 19 years.
- Lauded for his diligence, commitment to his work, and excellent customer service.
- Takes initiative to bridge the gap between operational issues and management decisions by communicating key work processes and potential safety issues.
|
| Operations Support Category | Ms Yvonne Tan (Chen Yanshuang), 40 years old Project Support Executive, Sembcorp Enviro Services Pte Ltd | - In service for 10 years.
- Passionate about the environment and aims to promote zero waste living through various engagements with local communities.
- Introduced a proof-of-concept smart bin to promote self-sustaining ecosystems for recyclable materials.
- Works with schools to gather feedback for future improvements towards achieving waste diversion goals.
|
| Pest Management Sector |
| Award Category | Name | Description |
| Operations Support Category | Ms Quek Rui Ting, 29 years old Entomologist, Ikari Services Pte Ltd
| - In service for over five years.
- Sets an example for others to have an open mindset and passion for learning.
- Has a bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences and specialises in Environmental Biology; took up additional courses to better meet the technical needs of the industry.
- Leads a team of four to support clients and technicians with their technical know-how.
|
| Supervisory Category | Mr Rizal Bin Jufri, 54 years old Senior Supervisor, Verminator Pte Ltd
| - In service for over 25 years.
- In-house expert in biological larvicides and oversees a team of three entomologists that conducts research on various technologies to improve internal processes.
- Champions practising effective and eco-friendly approach to pest management.
- Progressed in his career from a junior technician position to a managerial position, where he defines project deliverables and oversees the quality control of the projects.
|