Workplace. What is Workplace Literacy training and assessment about? WPL Assessment. WPL Courses. How Do I Sign Up For Assessments?

WPL Assessment

Different jobs require different level of English language proficiency. WPL assessment helps to assess a

worker’s level to determine their English literacy training needs. The WPL assessment appraises your workers’ English language proficiency and provides training recommendations for your workers.

Four English assessments are available at a highly subsidised rate of $3.50 (excluding GST) per modality for Singaporean citizens and Permanent Residents. Each assessment takes 30 to 60minutes:

WPL Assessment

Modality Assessment Format

Reading

Multiple Choice Questions Computer Adaptive Test Listening

Speaking Questions & Answers

Computer Based Test

Writing Picture and/or Essay

Computer Based Test

How Do I Sign Up For

Assessments?

Signing up for the WPL assessment is easy. Simply log on https://www.ces.gov.sg for direct online booking or call 6883 5885 to sign up. Alternatively, you can approach one of the five WPL CETCs.

What do I get at the end of

the assessment?

For each assessment attempted, your staff will receive a nationally recognized Statement of Attainment (SOA) indicating their level of proficiency, ranging from SOA 1 to SOA 8.

What is Workplace

Literacy training and

assessment about?

Situated in a strategic location in the region, Singapore is a hub for many industries and a magnet for foreign investments. With English as the most common

working language in this global marketplace and having a team of staff who is proficient in English would distinguish your company from the rest.

The Workplace Literacy (WPL) assessment and training helps companies achieve that goal. It creates an alternate pathway for your Singaporean Low Wage Workers (LWWs) to improve their workplace English. Since its launch in 2004, over 100,000 workers have attempted the WPL assessment and more than 14,000 have benefitted from the WPL training.

WPL Courses

The WPL courses and assessment system are jointly developed by WDA and CASAS (Comprehensive Adult and Student Assessment Systems), a US-based adult assessment system approved and validated by the US Department of Education and Department of Labor to assess the literacy level of both native and non-native speakers of English.

The WPL courses are available at three levels in three pathways:

• 90 hours WPL (Comprehensive) covering

Reading, Listening, Speaking & Writing

• 45 hours WPL (Conversational) covering

Reading, Listening & Speaking

• 45 hours WPL (Writing) covering Reading &

Writing

Training & Credentialing

English @ Workplace

How do I determine the

WPLN Level for the job

positions?

i. Comparison with academic qualifications

ii. Reference to what other employers are using for similar job positions

iii. By the level of personal interaction and independence required in a job position

i. Comparison with academic qualifications

Table 1 shows the mapping of the WPLN

proficiency levels with GCE N/O Level as well as IELTS based on the benchmarking study by UK NARIC. UK NARIC found that WPLN Level 5 is closely matched to GCE N/O level pass in terms of learning outcomes. Hence, if you use GCE N/O level qualifications for your job entry requirements, you could consider using WPLN level 5 as an alternative. In 2010, the Department of Statistics also officially included the WPLN credentials in the Singapore Standard Education Classification (SSEC) published by the Department.

Table 1 Mapping of WPLN Proficiency Levels with GCE N & O levels and IELTS

WPLN

Proficiency Level WPLN Proficiency Level IELTS

8–9

7–8 8

SECONDARY (At least 3 WPLN SOAs at

Level 5 and above)

6–7 7 5–6 6 5 4–5 4 LOWER SECONDARY

(At least 3 WPLN SOAs at Level 3 or 4)

3 3–4

2 PRIMARY

(At least 3 WPLN SOAs at Level 1 or 2) 1

What is WPLN

credentialing project

about?

The Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WPLN)

credentialing project is aimed at getting employers and training institutions to recognise the WPLN credentials as an alternative to GCE ‘N’ and ‘O’ levels for recruitment and admission purpose.

To date, over 2,900 employers and training institutions

recognise and accept the WPLN credentials as an alternative recruitment and entry requirement to GCE N/O level qualifications. These companies include both international and national privately owned business from various sectors ranging from retail, food and beverage, hospitality, healthcare, construction and manufacturing, as well as the Singapore Public Service Division.

The WPLN credentials are also benchmarked against GCE N/O levels and international standards by UK NARIC, a British national agency responsible for providing advice and expert opinion on vocational, academic and professional skills and qualifications worldwide (www.naric.org.uk) .

Your recognition of the WPLN credentials as an

alternative recruitment criterion to the formal academic qualifications (e.g. GCE N/O levels) will open your access to over 100,000 potential job candidates.

For a full list of employers and training institutions that recognise the WPLN credentials, please refer to:

www.wda.gov.sg/wsq/WPLNCredentialingList

For a full version of the NARIC report, please refer to:

www.wda.gov.sg/wsq/NARICFullReport

1 _{IELTS, the International English Language Testing System, is an internationally recognised English}

language assessment developed by the University of Cambridge to assess the language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is the language of communication. It covers the four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking (http://www.ielts.org).

Training & Credentialing

English @ Workplace

Driver (Delivery) Primary/Secondary 3

Editor Degree 8

Engineer Degree 8

F&B Crew/ Waiter N Level/O Level 3

F&B Waiter/Captain N Level 5

Field Assistant Primary 2

Fitting Room Assistant Primary 2

Florist N Level/O Level 4

Front Office Receptionist O Level/NITEC 4

Gardener Primary 2

General Worker Primary 2

Healthcare Assistant O Level/NITEC 7

Housekeeping Primary 4

Housekeeping Attendant Primary/Secondary 2

Inventory Officer N Level 4

Logistics/Operations

Assistant N Level/O Level 3

Machine Operator Secondary 4

Machinist NIL to O Level 2

Management Trainee N Level 4

Managerial Positions O Level/Diploma 5 Merchandising Clerk O Level/Diploma 5 Medical Registration

Officer/Executive Diploma/Degree 7

Operating Theatre

Assistant O Level 7

Operation Coordinator N Level/O Level 5

Operation Executive Diploma 5

Pharmacy Assistant Secondary 5

Phone Receptionist N Level 5

Product Specialist N Level 5

Production Operator N Level/O Level 3

Production Worker Primary 3

Professional Conduct

Officer/Executive Diploma/Degree 7

ii. Reference to what other employers are using for similar job positions

Table 2 shows some examples of the WPLN levels other employers are using to recruit new employees for similar job positions. It should be noted, however, that the minimum WPLN Level required by the same job position may vary depending on the specific industry sector.

Table 2 The WPLN Levels accepted for specific job positions

Job Position Minimum Education Levels

WPLN Level accepted by most companies

as alternative

Account Positions O Level/Diploma 5

Administrative Positions N Level/O Level 5

Ambulance Driver Secondary 5

Assistant Chief

Security Officer O Level/NITEC 5

Assistant Supervisor Secondary 4

Beauty Consultant N Level/O Level 5

Beauty Therapist N Level 3

Building Custodian Primary 2

Business Development

Manager N Level/O Level 5

Butler O Level 7

Cashier Secondary 4

Chief Security Officer O Level/A Level 4

Cleaner Primary 2

Clinic Assistant N Level/O Level 5

Coach Driver Primary 4

Concierge N Level/O Level 5

Cook Certificate 4

Corporate Support N Level 5

Customer Service/

Relations N Level/O Level 5

Data Entry N Level/O Level 5

Driver Primary 3

Training & Credentialing

English @ Workplace

Programme/Project

Executive O Level/Diploma 6

Project Managerial

Positions Degree 8

QA Inspector/Technician N Level/O Level 4

Receptionist N Level/O Level 5

Retail Assistant Secondary 4

Sales N Level/O Level 5

Secretary O Level 4

Security Officer Secondary 4

Senior Security Officer Secondary 4

Site Positions Secondary 4

Supermarket Staff Secondary 4

Supervisory Positions O Level/NITEC 5

Technician O Level/NITEC 4

Telemarketer Secondary 2

Temp Administrative

Positions O Level/NITEC 4

Therapy Assistant O Level/NITEC 7

Ticketing Officer N Level 4

Tour Leader Primary 5

Translator Diploma 8

Warehouse Assistant Primary 3

Warehouse Coordinator N Level/O Level 5 Workplace Safety &

Health Officer Diploma 8

Training & Credentialing

English @ Workplace

iii. Level of personal interaction and independence required in a job position

Table 3 below shows the WPLN levels other employers have adopted for each job position in relation to the required level of personal interaction and independence. Select an appropriate WPLN level for job entry requirement by the level of personal interaction and independence required in a job position.

Level of Personal Interaction WPLN Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 HIGH F&B Captain Beauty Consultant Clinic Assistant Concierge Corporate Support Customer Service Receptionist Sales Tour Leader Accountant Administrative Positions Data Entry Merchandising Clerk Operation Executive Pharmacy Assistant Assistant Supervisor Project Managerial Positions

Workplace Safety & Health Officer Butler

MID

Healthcare Assistant Medical Registration Officer Operating Theatre Assistant Professional Conduct Officer Therapy Assistant Retail Assistant Management Trainee Florist Cashier Cook Machine Operator Editor Translator Engineer Chief Security Officer

Secretary Security Officer Inventory Officer QA Inspector/ Technician F&B Crew/Waiter Beauty Therapist Driver

Logistics/ Operation Assistant Production Worker

Warehouse Assistant Housekeeping Attendant Cleaner

Construction Field Assistant Building Custodian Machinist Gardener

LOW

Level of Independence Low Mid High

Training & Credentialing

English @ Workplace