NTUC SME Partners (formerly NTUC U SME) today announced the launch of its SME Partners Multiplier Programme. The initiative brings together NTUC SME Partners and industry partners, including industry associations, trade bodies, and business clans, to improve the wages and work prospects of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) workers by supporting the business growth and workforce transformation of SMEs.
The announcement was made at Members Night 2025 organised by NTUC SME Partners, which gathered over 300 SME workers and management partners. Held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, the event was hosted by NTUC Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) and Director of NTUC SME Partners Yeo Wan Ling.
NTUC SME Partners: Building a Collaborative Ecosystem for SME Transformation
SME workers make up the majority of Singapore’s workforce, with SMEs forming the backbone of our economy. However, many SMEs face significant challenges in digitalisation, workforce transformation, and business growth due to limited resources.
To address these challenges, the SME Partners Multiplier Programme will create a collaborative ecosystem with Multipliers – including the Association of Catering Professionals Singapore, Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC), Singapore Manufacturing Federation, Singapore Building Material Suppliers’ Association and LIN Chamber of Commerce – to support SME transformation. By leveraging their strong community reach and advocacy capabilities, the programme will enable more SME workers to access training and upskilling opportunities, while allowing their employers to tap on grants and digitalisation support to drive transformation efforts.
With the SME Partners Multiplier Programme, SME workers will benefit from smoother transitions into new roles, improved employability through skills upgrading, and stronger career pathways aligned with industry transformation – because their employers can draw on the wider ecosystem through NTUC SME Partners and our Multipliers.
Participating SMEs will gain access to joint capability-building and transformation initiatives developed under the NTUC Company Training Committee (CTC) framework, and tap on the NTUC CTC Grant to fund up to 70 per cent of qualifying costs for workforce and business transformation projects. SMEs can also benefit from job redesign support, training grants for workers’ skills upgrading, and human capital advisory to improve workplace practices. These will translate to better work prospects and better workplaces for SME workers.
NTUC ASG and Director of SME Partners Ms Yeo Wan Ling said, “The NTUC SME Partners Multiplier Programme underscores our commitment to supporting our SME workers and SMEs, and helping them grow and adapt to transformation. We are working to build a collaborative ecosystem with trusted industry partners to come up with practical, sector-specific solutions that address the unique challenges SMEs face, while creating opportunities to uplift the wages and work prospects of SME workers. We welcome more like-minded partners to join us in this effort, and leverage NTUC’s wide range of programmes, initiatives and resources to empower SMEs and SME workers.”
NTUC SME Partners: Strengthening Advocacy and Shaping the SME Sector
Beyond catalysing SME growth and workforce transformation, the SME Partners Multiplier Programme also aims to strengthen NTUC SME Partners’ representation of SME voices at the national level. Multipliers serve as a channel for ground-level insights and sector-specific perspectives, which will inform NTUC’s efforts in shaping labour policies, training incentives, and regulatory changes. In this way, the programme not only delivers tangible benefits for workers and businesses but also contributes to shaping the SME sector through collective industry voice, ensuring that the unique challenges faced by SME workers and employers are heard and addressed.
Multipliers also stand to benefit from the programme. In addition to official recognition from NTUC SME Partners and its related benefits, Multipliers can leverage NTUC’s initiatives and resources to support their own transformation efforts. This includes co-funding for joint initiatives such as capability-building workshops, job redesign advisory workshops and business transformation clinics. As key influencers within the SME sector, their transformation will play a key role in shaping the sector’s evolution.
SFIC President Mr Joshua Koh shared “This collaboration with NTUC SME Partners will empower SMEs in the furniture and furnishing industry to grow and innovate with confidence. It underscores SFIC’s commitment to future-proofing the industry by embracing digitalisation, sustainability and design-led innovation, while our training and consulting arm, SFIC Institute, supports members in re-skilling employees and adopting technology to drive transformation.”
NTUC SME Partners’ Continued Commitment to Improve Progression, Protections and Privileges for SME Workers
Over the years, NTUC SME Partners has improved the progression, protections and privileges of SME workers. Key efforts include:
In 2024, NTUC SME Partners also launched the Build Your Own Party (BYOP) platform, a one-stop resource where SMEs and their workers can sign up for events organised by NTUC or customise their own activities with partner vendors. The platform aims to help SMEs strengthen worker engagement and build a positive workplace culture.
Members Night 2025 is one such event organised through the BYOP platform and is a reflection of the strong demand for worker engagement among SMEs and SME workers, with attendance rising by 50 per cent compared to the inaugural Members Night held last year.
NTUC SME Partners has also steadily deepened its engagement with SMEs and SME workers. This year, NTUC SME Partners welcomed more than 260 new companies and over 2,300 new members, expanding its network to more than 1,800 SMEs and over 13,000 SME members. Among them, 125 SMEs have since unionised, reflecting the trust that SMEs place in NTUC for business support and workforce transformation.
