SINGAPORE, 28 April 2014 – The inaugural batch of thirteen trainees under the Hawker Master Trainer Pilot Programme (HMTPP) showcased their newly-acquired culinary skills and hawker fare at a tasting session. The event marked their foray into the hawker trade upon completion of the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) training and On-the-Job Training (OJT) with the Hawker Master Trainers.
2 The tasting session was attended by guests such as panellists of the CEOs’ Hawker Guide which include Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large, Mr Seah Kian Peng, CEO, NTUC Fairprice Cooperative Ltd and Ms Elim Chew, Founder, 77th Street, and partners of the programme.
3 The programme was launched in October 2013 and is a Public, Private & People (PPP) collaboration between the government, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and the National Environment Agency (NEA), the private sector, Knight Frank Pte Ltd and The Business Times, and the people sector, the YMCA of Singapore, to preserve Singapore’s hawker heritage. The programme is managed by WDA’s Continuing Education and Training Centre, Project Dignity.
4 The year-long pilot programme aims to groom 50 hawkers by November this year as part of the effort to preserve Singapore’s hawker heritage.
5 The first batch of trainees received their OJT training under their respective Hawker Master Trainers from Apollo Fresh Cockle Fried Kway Teow, Boon Tong Kee Chicken Rice, D’Authentic Nasi Lemak and Ji Ji Wanton Noodle Specialist.
6 ‘It is inspiring to see how these hawkers have grown just over the last six months. They had beaten all odds with sheer determination and persistence to arrive at this juncture, and I am sure this will not end here. The WSQ training modules and On-the-Job Training, had further helped groom them into better hawkers, and will continue to do so for all new aspiring hawkers who come on board the programme,’ said Ms Janice Foo, Director for Tourism, WDA.
7 Mr Richard Tan, Director of the Hawker Centres Division, NEA said, ‘We are heartened by the progress of the programme, with more veteran hawkers participating in it. This will expand the variety of the local fare in the programme and increase the opportunities for new entrants to the hawker business to learn from the masters.’
8 These new hawkers have several options upon completion of the training:
Operate at incubation stalls in hawker centres
Stay on with their Hawker Master Trainers to further hone their culinary skills
Bid for a hawker stall via NEA’s open tender system
9 Five new Hawker Master Trainers, namely Casuarina Curry, Fatty Cheong Roasted Meat, Ha Ha Big Prawn Noodle, Hwa Xing Bak Kut Teh and Nam Kee Teochew Fish Porridge have also come on board the HMTPP. More options are now available for aspiring hawkers.
10 The OJT for the remaining 17 trainees from the second batch will start over the next few months.
