Minister Lim Hng Kiang at Shatec 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner

​ SPEECH BY MR LIM HNG KIANG MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY AT SHATEC’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER

ON TUESDAY, 2 JULY 2013, 7.40 PM, SHANGRI-LA HOTEL

Mr Albert Teo, Chairman, SHATEC

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

INTRODUCTION

I am pleased to join you this evening at SHATEC’s 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner.  This marks yet another important milestone in SHATEC’s journey of becoming Singapore’s leading educational institute in hospitality training and excellence.  My heartiest congratulations and thanks to SHATEC for 30 years of growth and dedication to grooming hospitality talent.   

30 YEARS OF REMARKABLE GROWTH

2          SHATEC has grown from strength to strength over the past three decades.  In 1992, SHATEC received the “Most Outstanding Contribution to Tourism” award from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), in recognition of its efforts in Human Resource Development.  In 2009, SHATEC became the first institution in Asia to be inducted into World Gourmet Summit’s Hall of Fame for winning the Culinary Institution of the Year award for four consecutive years.  In 2012, SHATEC was appointed by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to be a Continuing Education and Training Centre for the Tourism and Food & Beverage industries.  These are examples of the outstanding achievements that marked SHATEC’s 30 years of remarkable growth.  

3          More than 30,000 students have graduated from SHATEC since its inception.  Many are still contributing to the hospitality industry today, with their excellent service and strong sense of mission.  For example, Mr Cheong Hai Poh, Executive Assistant Manager, Conrad Centennial Singapore, who graduated from SHATEC in 1988, is now an industry veteran with over 20 years of food and beverage experience.  With quality service as his top priority, Mr Cheong demands only the highest quality of customer service from his staff.  Another example is Chef Pang Kok Keong.  Chef Pang, who graduated from SHATEC in 1993, is renowned for creating exquisite dessert masterpieces that combine artistry with ingenuity.  Since establishing the pastry-centric “Sugar Daddy Group” in 2011, Chef Pang has introduced popular dining concepts such as Antoinette, a beautiful Parisian-style pâtisserie, and Pique Nique, an American-style bakery bistro.  Other alumni, such as celebrity chefs Eric Teo and Justin Quek, have also become well-known names in the industry.

4          Several of SHATEC’s students have done the institute proud, having won numerous awards and achieved local and international acclaim.  For example, in 2012, Derek Ong, Ian Goh and Zet Zhao emerged as champions in a culinary competition organised by Korea’s FoodTV Channel.  SHATEC students have also been active in community initiatives.  Last year, a SHATEC-led pastry team comprising SHATEC students and trainers, as well as youths and volunteers from the Ayer Rajah Constituency raced against time to churn out 22,000 cupcakes to set a new Guinness World Record as part of the National Day celebrations.  Their efforts raised more than $100,000 for the less fortunate youths and low-income families, while the cupcakes were given to welfare homes across Singapore. 

A KEY PARTNER FOR A KEY PILLAR OF OUR ECONOMY

5          Tourism is a key pillar of Singapore’s economy, contributing about 4 percent of our GDP.  Despite the slow global economic recovery, our tourism industry registered a 3 percent year-on-year growth in tourism receipts in 2012 which amounted to $23 billion, on the back of 14.4 million international tourist arrivals.

6          The importance of the tourism industry to our economy underscores the need to maintain our competitive edge in providing world-class hospitality services.  The key to achieving this is to continually raise the service standards of our hospitality workforce through experiential learning and practical training by dedicated hospitality institutions.  SHATEC has been a key catalyst in raising the service standards of the industry and has done an excellent job in this aspect. 

PREPARING GRADUATES FOR A CHANGING TOURISM LANDSCAPE

7          Indeed, hospitality professionals are often the first people whom visitors meet when they come to Singapore, and thus play an important role in creating unique, memorable visitor experiences which differentiate Singapore from our competitors as a leading Asian destination.  As tourists become more discerning and more willing to spend on good service, it is important that we raise our game in the training of hospitality professionals to drive such yield in the tourism industry.   

8          SHATEC has adopted a practical and holistic approach in hospitality education that equips its students to do just that.  Focusing on experiential learning, SHATEC has formed partnerships with a strong network of hospitality players to offer a 6-month industry attachment that enables their students to gain real-world experience in honing their skills.  To support the continued education and upskilling of industry practitioners, SHATEC opened a new city centre venue at Middle Road offering part-time and skills-upgrading courses in 2012. 

9          In view of the tightening manpower situation, SHATEC has been working closely with relevant government agencies to embark on a series of initiatives to enhance manpower capabilities and job retention at the various levels.  At the rank-and-file level, SHATEC would be launching programmes that “bundle” related-skills under WDA’s Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) framework to facilitate multi-skilling and enhance the attractiveness of tourism jobs.  For example, a front office executive would be equipped with the skills to check-in/check-out guests and perform concierge duties.

10        At the middle management and supervisory levels, SHATEC has formed partnerships with hospitality schools to offer a slew of executive development programmes.  For example, SHATEC is conducting middle management workshops in partnership with DePaul University, Chicago.

CONCLUSION

11        As you can see, SHATEC has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1983.  We would like to thank SHATEC’s dedication and contributions over the years as it sets to embark on training our next generation of hospitality professionals.  As we shift towards yield-driven growth, we would like to encourage more stakeholders to come onboard to grow the tourism industry and generate the kind of good jobs for Singaporeans that SHATEC and STB can equip them for.

12        On this note, let me again extend my heartiest congratulations to the management and staff of SHATEC for 30 years of remarkable growth and achievement.  I wish everyone a pleasant evening ahead. 

Thank you.