Another milestone for WSQ

About 6 years ago, WDA started work on the Workforce Skills Qualification
(WSQ) system. The reasons were simple. A CET system that is relevant to
workers will need a skills qualification system that is competency-based.
It has to be accessible, meaning that it should have few barriers to entry,
and modular so that working adults can participate in training. It must
also offer a progression path.

Over the past 6 years, we have made significant progress. Today, we have
23 WSQ frameworks. The recognition rate of WSQ among employers has
increased to 38% and the adoption rate has risen to 12%. Both employers
and workers have reported positive outcomes from WSQ training.

Today, I am pleased to share with you that WSQ has achieved another
milestone. The WSQ has made it into the Singapore Standard Educational
Classification (SSEC). The SSEC is the national standard for classifying
educational programmes and qualifications. It is overseen by the
Department of Statistics (DOS), our national authority on statistical
standards. With effect from 2010, WSQ attainment will be regarded as a
qualification achievement as well. The inclusion in the SSEC signifies the
recognition of WSQ as a national credential, not unlike other credentials
such as those awarded by post-secondary educational institutions. WSQ’s
inclusion will present a more accurate skills profile of our workers.

The reason why WSQ has been accepted into the SSEC is due to the increasing
recognition and adoption rates which we have all worked very hard to
achieve. Thank you again for your strong support. This latest development
will serve as an encouragement to me and my colleagues as we widen and
deepen the coverage of the WSQ in the years ahead.

With Appreciation,
Chan Heng Kee
Chief Executive
Singapore Workforce Development Agency

Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in UK, EC and US Copyright Law

The application deadline for the 2009-2010 Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in UK, EC and US Copyright Law at Informa Professional Academy is approaching. This distance learning course, run by King’s College London, starts on the 6th October.

Why choose this course?
Gain an in-depth, up to date and practical knowledge of copyright law
Designed and led by both expert academics and practitioners
From one of Europe’s leading centres of law
No need to interrupt your work – study where and when you want to
Gain new skills and apply these to your job immediately
Further your career and differentiate yourself in today’s difficult job market
Fulfil up to 100% of your annual CPD requirements

Topics include:
Historical Background, International Context and General Principles; Basis of Protection; Structure of Protection; Terminology and Interpretation; Copyright Subject Matter; Protection Criteria; Beneficiaries of Protection; Economic Rights; Moral Rights; Limitations and Exceptions; Exercise of Rights; Control of the Exercise of Copyright; Infringement; Remedies, Penalties and Enforcement; Additional Legislative Features; Principles of Free Movement and Competition; Harmonisation Programme; Satellite Broadcasting and Cable Retransmission Directive; Rental / Lending and Related Rights Directive; Copyright in the Information Society Directive; Computer Program Directive; Database Directive; Current Issues and International Harmonisation

For a more detailed list of modules and information on the tutors please see the course brochure.

The course is studied by:
In-House Counsel, Business Affairs and Public Affairs Managers , Policy Advisors, Heads of IP and Rights Managers in industries such as Music and Media, Regulatory Bodies, Collecting Societies, Technology and Telecommunications to name a few. And of course Private Practice Lawyers, ranging from Trainee Solicitors right up to Partners also enrol.

Organisations that have been represented include:
EMI Music * MCPS-PRS Alliance * AEPI-Hellenic Society for the Protection of Intellectual Property * PPL/VPL * Berwin Leighton Paisner * UK Intellectual Property Office * Samarts Network * British Geological Survey * Finers Stephens Innocent * Reynolds Porter Chamberlain * Getronics UK Limited * F. R. Kelly & Co * BBC * The Copyright Licensing Authority Limited * EUMESTAT * NISA Global Entertainment (Pty) Ltd * SJ Berwin * Universal International Music * Business Software Alliance * Victoria & Albert Museum * ITV * Imation Europe * Music Publishers Association * OVC Media * British Film Institute * PACT * Turner Broadcasting * Shed Productions * Sheridans * Reuters * Random House Group GMBH * Richards Butler * IFPI * Universal Pictures * CCEA * Design & Artists Copyright Society * EMAP * The Simkins Partnership

Why study by distance learning?
Increasingly we all face more pressures in our business lives. Finding the time to attend courses of any kind can be very difficult and well-meant plans are often put aside indefinitely. Distance learning is the solution to your training needs; it allows you the full benefits of studying for a recognised UK university qualification whilst still in fulltime employment using this freedom and flexibility to your advantage. You can set the pace at which you learn and decide when, where and how long you want to study for. Plus you can apply your learning, knowledge, skills and expertise to your work straight away and help to further your career.

Why study with King’s College London?
The Centre of European Law, School of Law, King’s College London has as its objectives: to advance research into European Community Law and the laws of the European countries; to provide training for persons interested in European Law; and to encourage the teaching of common law in European countries. Based at King’s College it is located in the centre of London at the heart of the common law world, opposite the Royal Courts of Justice and close to the Inns of Court, the City, Westminster and Whitehall which has enabled it to maintain close contact with the legal profession, the commercial world and government.

What does the course cost?
The Postgraduate Diploma fee including course materials, attendance at seminars, marking of compulsory coursework and the examination is £3920 (VAT Exempt). If you only wish to study the units and do not wish to take the examination or attend the seminars, the fee for this interest only option will be £2920 (VAT Exempt). (Please note you will not gain the award of Postgraduate Diploma with this option).

For further information such as the course structure and entry requirements, for any questions or to apply please visit the website, email kings@informa.com or call +44 (0) 20 7017 5906. (Quote VIP Code: MNYXYXZ in all correspondence.)

EDITORIAL TRAINING • COPY-EDITING

Due to the high demand for this course, SBPA is pleased to announce that the copy-editing course is back!

Date: 18 to 20 August 2009, Tuesday to Thursday (three days)
Time: 9.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Trainers: Datin Noor Azlina Yunus and Edda de Silva
Fees: $960 per person
Venue: The Pines @ 30 Stevens Road S257840

Please note that the association is providing a 10% subsidy for SBPA members.

SDF funding is available for this course. To know more about SDF funding support, please visit www.WDA.gov.sg.

SPUR Funding might be available, but is not confirmed. We will notify all members after WDA provides us with the confirmation.

Please feel free to forward to your colleagues and contacts, including your freelancers.

As class sizes will be limited, do register early. Registration form is to be submitted to chooworkshop@pacific.net.sg or faxed to 6354 0932.

Click HERE for the registration form
Click HERE for the course outline

Advanced Short Courses under the SPUR Programme

These up-coming programmes are impactful and concise. They are delivered with application and practice in mind. Participants will take away useful knowledge and tools which can be applied in very practical manner at the workplace. These programmes are therefore cost and time efficient in terms of your investment in training.

On top of that, the Ministry of Manpower is introducing new measures under SPUR to further develop Singapore’s manpower capabilities and provide greater support for companies and workers. With such great support from the government, companies can now upgrade their staff at a more economic way. We have the table as follow for your kind consideration.

Essentials for Print and Media Industry (4days = 32hrs)
Commencement Date: 23, 24, 30 & 31 Jul or 20, 21, 27 & 28 Aug
Course Fee: S$780.00
Nett Fee Payable after SPUR funding: S$428.00
Absentee Payroll Support (claimable by company): S$320.00
Total training fee payable by company: S$108
Download the course outline here.

Enhancing CTP Workflow Management (6days = 48hrs)
(Incorporated with File Management for Optimum Printability)
Commencement Date: 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 & 29 Jul
Course Fee: S$1,190.00
Nett Fee Payable after SPUR funding: S$119.00
Absentee Payroll Support (claimable by company): S$480.00
Total training fee payable by company: –
Download the course outline here.

Applying Colour Management in Print Production (3.5days = 28hrs)
Commencement Date: 1, 8 & 15 Aug
Course Fee: S$880.00
Nett Fee Payable after SPUR funding: S$572.00
Absentee Payroll Support (claimable by company): S$280.00
Total training fee payable by company: S$292
Download the course outline here.

Optimum Print Control (2days = 16hrs)
Commencement Date: 27 & 28 Jul
Course Fee: S$780.00
Nett Fee Payable after SPUR funding: S$604.00
Absentee Payroll Support (claimable by company): S$160.00
Total training fee payable by company: S$444
Download the course outline here.

Download the registration form here.

STANFORD PUBLISHING COURSES

PubCourse ‘09 “Field Trips” Will Take Participants to Wikipedia and Ning Social Network Plus Magazine and Book Publishing Venues

The two-and-a-half-day Pre-Course to the Stanford Professional Publishing Course includes “field trips” during which participants get an in-depth look at innovative Bay Area companies. This year’s Pre-course participants will visit:
• Wired magazine, Conde Nast’s winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence and chronicler of the how technology affects culture in the U.S.
• Weldon Owen/Bonnier, innovative producers of the Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn line of books, plus numerous other branded book series
• Ning, the social network founded by Marc Andreessen and Gina Bianchini
• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia with millions of articles contributed collaboratively using Wiki software, in dozens of languages

To learn more about the PreCourse:
http://publishingcourses.stanford.edu/sppc/precourse.html

To see a 3-minute video about the entire Course:
http://publishingcourses.stanford.edu/sppc/

To view podcasts filmed during last year’s Publishing Course:
http://publishingcourses.stanford.edu/blog/
and check out the BabyCenter, Bonnier, and Wired videos.

****************************
Min’s Integrated Marketing Awards Deadline Is June 12
To learn more about this annual awards event, which salutes the campaigns, ongoing programs, and innovative people working in magazine marketing, visit www.minonline.com/ima.

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New! Our First-Ever Writers Workshop
For writers of adult fiction and nonfiction, books for children and young adults, and magazine journalism: a content-rich intensive about both the craft of writing and the new-media tools essential for success in today’s publishing world.

Workshop leaders and panelists include:

• Alan Rinzler, Executive Editor, Jossey-Bass
• Deborah Brodie, freelance editor and former cofounder of Roaring Brook Press
• Michael Gold, principal, West-Gold Editorial Consulting
• Andrea Brown, Literary Agent, The Andrea Brown Literary Agency

• Kimberley Cameron, Literary Agent, Reece Halsey Literary Agency
• Nicole Geiger, Publisher, Tricycle Press/Ten Speed (Random House)

• Emily Haynes, Senior Editor, Chronicle Books
• Ivory Madison, Founder & CEO, Redroom.com
• Kendra Marcus, Literary Agent, The Book Stop Literary
• Angela Miller, Literary Agent, The Miller Agency
• Amy Rennert, Literary Agent, The Amy Rennert Literary Agency

• Scott Robinson, Filmmaker, Robinson Films
• Julie Romheis, Editor, Chronicle Books
• Jay Schaefer, Executive Editor, Workman/Algonquin

NOTE: If you are an alumnus of one of our publishing courses, you’re eligible for a 10% discount on the cost of tuition to the Writer’s Workshop. You may use the discount yourself, or you may offer it to one of your authors or writing colleagues — just be sure that you let us know whom you’re sending. Email me directly at hbrady@stanford.edu with that person’s name.

July 31 & August 1, 2009
On the Stanford campus
http://publishingcourses.stanford.edu/writers-workshop/

****************************
Job-hunting? Here Are Some Possibilities.
Our friends at Publishers West have posted two new openings; check them out at http://www.pubwest.org/228.html.
And check out our job board at: http://stanfordpublishing.jobamatic.com/a/jbb/find-jobs

NEW MEASURES UNDER THE SKILLS PROGRAMME FOR UPGRADING AND RESILIENCE (SPUR)

The Ministry of Manpower is introducing new measures under SPUR to further develop Singapore’s manpower capabilities and provide greater support for companies and workers, especially Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs), affected by the downturn. This was announced by Prime Minister in his May Day Rally speech. The three measures are:

a) Increase in Absentee Payroll cap to better support training for PMETs. To help address the concern from employers that the current absentee payroll (AP) funding rates are insufficient to defray the costs of sending PMETs to SPUR training, we will be further revising the AP rates upwards with effect from 15 May 09.

Other eligibility criteria for AP funding will continue to apply. WDA will be updating the AP factsheet and calculator, to be made available on our website at www.wda.gov.sg on 15 May 09. For further queries on AP, please contact Russell Chan @ 6512 1165 or Ms Ang Lay Kuan @ 6512 1312. Companies can also contact WDA at 6883 5885 or email us at wda_srp@wda.gov.sg for enquiries on AP funding.

The factsheet on SPUR funding for AP is attached for prior information.

Employers can also apply for AP funding for SPUR courses conducted during the shorter work week. Upon receipt of the AP amount, employers are entitled to a portion of the AP funding corresponding to the proportion of the original basic salary it has given to the worker for the days of training. The remainder of the AP funding received shall be passed on to the worker. An AP calculator is available on the WDA website for employers who wish to calculate the amount of AP they need to pass on to the worker.

b) SPUR-JOBS to encourage companies to recruit and retain local workers, by co-funding companies’ cost of recruitment, training and job (re)design efforts to make jobs more attractive for locals.

c) Professional Skills Programme Traineeships (PSPT) scheme for companies to build new capabilities in growth sectors. A total of 2,500 traineeships will be offered over two years under the PSPT.

For more information on SPUR-JOBS and PSPT, please visit WDA website.

SPUR Marketing Toolkit
The SPUR Marketing Toolkit has been updated to reflect these new measures:
Factsheets – SPUR, SPUR-JOBS, PSPT

Presentation Slides (SPUR for Employers)

FAQs for SPUR Providers

We will be in touch with you in the next few days to recall existing SPUR brochures for employers, and replacing them with the updated version. Should you need further information or require clarifications on the SPUR Marketing Toolkit or brochures, please contact Cindy Lee at 6512 1096 or email at cindy_lee@wda.gov.sg.

Click here to download: “Fact Sheet on SPUR funding for absentee payroll”.

Click here to download “SPUR factsheet”.

Click here to download “Factsheet – SPUR jobs”.

Click here to download “FACTSHEET ON PROFESSIONAL SKILLS PROGRAMME TRAINEESHIPS”.

Click here to download a powerpoint presentation on “SPUR for employers”.

Click here to download “SPUR FAQs”.

SBPA Training Courses in May 2009 — members are subsidized 50%

As you know, the SBPA has already held three successful courses this year — on strategic management, international rights, and marketing.

We are pleased to announce that our next two courses will be held in May 2009 as follows:

1) COPY-EDITING I
Date: Tuesday, 26 May and Wednesday, 27 May 2009 (Two days)
Time: 9.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Trainers: Datin Noor Azlina Yunus and Edda de Silva
Fees: S$640
Venue: The Pines @ 30 Stevens Road S257840

2) INTRODUCTION TO COPYRIGHT & AGREEMENTS IN PUBLISHING
Date: Thursday, 28 May 2009 (One day)
Time: 9.00 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Trainers: Datin Noor Azlina Yunus and Edda de Silva
Fees: S$320
Venue: The Pines @ 30 Stevens Road S257840

Please note that the association is subsidizing both courses. SBPA members will enjoy a 50% rebate.

Further details of the courses and registration form are attached. Please feel free to forward to your colleagues and contacts, including your freelancers.

As class sizes will be limited, do register early. Registration forms are to be submitted to chooworkshop@pacific.net.sg or faxed to 63540932.

Click here to download more info on the Copyright & Agreement course.

Click here to download more info on the Copy Editing course.

Click here to download the Registration Form.

Reminder to register for three SBPA courses

1) Marketing Planning Workshop
Date/Time: 18 Feb, 9am – 5pm (One day)
Trainer: London-based Rachel Maund
Fees: $300
Venue: National Library Building
To download a brochure with more information on this course, click here.

2) International Rights and Copyright Workshop
Date/Time: 18 Feb, 9am – 5pm (One day)
Trainer: London-based Richard Balkwill
Fees: $300
Venue: National Library Building
To download a brochure with more information on this course, click here.

3) Strategic Management Workshop
Date/Time: 19 – 21 Feb, 9am to 6pm (Three days)
Trainer: Rachel Maund and Richard Balkwill
Fees: $995.
Venue: The Legends. Fort Canning Park
To download a brochure with more information on this course, click here.

Please note that the association will be subsidizing all three courses.
All SBPA members will pay 50% of the fees.

Please email registration forms (download here) to chooworkshop@pacific.net.sg or fax to 63540932.

MDA Media Education Scheme 2009

The MDA (Media Development Authority) Media Education Scheme 2009 is open for applications as of 24 January 2009.

About the Media Education Scheme
The Media Education Scheme is an initiative to build and nurture manpower capabilities as well as the talent pool in the media industry. All Singapore citizens and permanent residents who are passionate about embarking on a long-term career in the local media industry are welcome to apply for the Scheme.

Media Education Scheme (Overseas)
The Scheme covers tuition fees of up to S$40,000 per year, or subject to a maximum of S$100,000. The scheme has a two-year service commitment to Singapore. Upon returning from their studies, recipients will have to fulfil the service commitment and are required to work in media-related companies. As international exposure and experience is desirable and encouraged, students need not start their service commitment immediately upon graduation, but can choose to do so over a five-year period.

Media Education Scheme (Local)
The Scheme covers tuition fees of up to S$10,000 per year, subject to a maximum of S$20,000. There will be no service commitment attached to the scheme.

The closing date for all applications is on Thursday, 30 April 2009.

For more information about the Media Education Scheme, please visit the MDA website.