Singapore, 10 August 2005 – MediaCorp Radio is proud to partner the Singapore Workforce Development Agency in organizing the Lifelong Learner Awards 2005. This year, the annual search for lifelong learners extends to companies as well as individuals who have contributed to raising service quality.

Now in its fourth year, the Lifelong Learner Awards celebrate the successes, achievements and contributions of individual learners who have gone the extra mile to pick up new skills to adapt to the changing employment landscape.

To contribute to the national drive towards service excellence culture, this year’s Awards will also recognise individuals who have pursued skills upgrading to raise service quality.

In addition, to recognise the critical role employers play towards encouraging life-long learning, a new category “Corporate Award” has been created. This Award will recognise companies that have put in place a system to continuously train their staff and ensure that they have the requisite sets of skills to perform well in their jobs. Such practices will give companies a competitive edge, in addition to helping their workers stay employable.

Nominations for both the individual and corporate categories begin on Thursday, 11 August 2005. Details are as follows:

a) LifeLong Learner Awards

• Awards are open to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, aged 18 and above. All nominations must include learning stories which reflect the nominees’ commitment to upgrading their skills to stay employable or raise service quality.
• Each Award winner will receive $500 which they are encouraged to use for further learning, training and other skills upgrading programmes, while their nominator will each receive $200.

b) Corporate Awards

• Awards are open to companies that provide opportunities for and have actively supported their employees in training and upgrading. Nominations must be put in any employee of the company.
• Each award-winning company will receive a plaque, while their nominator will each receive $200.

Nominations for the Awards may be submitted via:

• Lifelong Learner Awards 2005 website at www.mediacorpradio.sg, and Singapore Workforce Development Agency website at www.wda.gov.sg.
• Entry forms available at all National Libraries.
• Entry forms found in TODAY and other local newspapers.

The nominations can be submitted in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. Photo-copied forms are also accepted.

Nominations received after Sunday, 18 September 2005 will not be considered.

All winners will receive their awards in October 2005 during this year’s Singapore Learning Festival.