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MID-CAREER PMETs will be trained as social workers under a new professional conversion programme.
They will undergo a two-year bachelor's degree or a 14-month graduate diploma programme run by UniSIM, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) said yesterday.

The target group are those with first degrees in other disciplines but who are keen to take up new careers in the social service sector, MCYS said in a statement.

Its minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, had told Parliament earlier that there is an annual shortage of about 100 social workers in Singapore.

The conversion scheme is expected to start later this year, and up to 90 per cent of the course fees will be subsidised under the Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (Spur).

To coax voluntary welfare organisations to let the trainees start work while on training, Spur will give the welfare groups a $1,000 training allowance every month to defray their salary cost. The conversion programme will cost the Government about $1.2 million a year.

Other new Spur courses in community services include a 10-month accelerated Workforce Skills Qualifications professional diploma in early childhood care and education.

GOH CHIN LIAN