Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore (PSS) & NTUC LearningHub (LHUB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 27-Mar-07 to formalize their intention in establishing a Pharmaceutical Training Centre (PTC).

Signed by LHUB Chief Executive Officer Zee Yoong Kang & President of PSS Mr Ng Cheng Tiang, the MOU outlines the collaborative plan between both organizations to continually developing the skills of professionals, operational, supervisory  and managerial staff in the healthcare & pharmaceutical sector.

Training provided by the PTC will cater to the needs of new workers & professionals entering the industry & equip them with more relevant and up-to-date training for pre-employment & continual education requirements. Training solutions will be developed for operational staff, such as Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Assistants, but will also be extended to pharmacists and specialist employees in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries in due course.

The training will be offered to employees from both the biomedical sciences industry, which employs over 9,000 staff, and the health services industry, which currently employs over 52,000 workers. The training needs strive to cater for the requirements of small size healthcare outlets to the full scale healthcare institutions on the one hand;  and the upstream MNC pharmaceutical and biomedical establishments at the other end of the spectrum.  By increasing the overall skills level among their staff, employers can ensure that the highest possible service standards are met to complement Singapore’s aspiration to becoming the centre of healthcare excellence for the region.

NTUC LearningHub, a market leader in soft skills, IT, career management and workplace safety and health courses, will develop and provide a full spectrum of training programmes catered to the unique working environment of pharmaceutical operations.

Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore will provide support with subject matter expertise in the development and delivery of pharmaceutical specific courses and accreditation of the programmes.

It is essential for pharmaceutical staff to be professionally trained. Armed with proper training and accredited certifications, pharmaceutical employees are given the opportunities for better job prospect and enhancement. The forming of this partnership symbolizes the birth of an agile training provider to the pharmaceutical industry with relevant and holistic training in view. Employers and the public can also be assured of sustained good quality and a committed pharmaceutical workforce in the future.

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