What is CoreTrade?
The Construction Registration of Tradesmen (CoreTrade) Scheme was introduced by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to allow the built environment sector to build up its core group of competent and experienced construction personnel in key construction trades and supervisory roles to anchor and lead the construction workforce.
The CoreTrade Scheme is a registration system that is meant to raise the quality and productivity levels of workers in the construction industry.
Who is eligible for the CoreTrade Registration System?
This CoreTrade scheme is available for both local Singaporean workers and foreign workers with relevant years of experience working in the construction industry in Singapore. CoreTrade provides a platform to retain better and more experienced personnel by providing a clear career progression path and recognition.
According to the BCA, there are two types of construction personnel a worker may be categorized into:
- Construction Tradesmen – construction workers that are skilled in specific construction trades
- Construction Foreman – also known as a construction supervisor; in charge of coordinating and supervising tradesmen in a specific construction trade
What are the benefits of the CoreTrade Training Course?
Apart from equipping your workers with new knowledge and additional technical skills, your company can benefit by having them recognized by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and upgrading them into Higher-Skilled Workers.
By upgrading your construction personnel with a BCA-approved training course like CoreTrade, employers will pay a lower levy rate and an extended maximum period of employment. Instead of 14 years for a Basic-Skilled Worker, Higher-Skilled Workers actually have their period of employment extended to a maximum of 26 years!
Signing your employees up for a familiarisation course provides a lot of benefits to you and your company. You get to keep your company’s high-performing construction personnel with additional training and testing through this CoreTrade Scheme. No need to worry about re-hiring new workers all the time when you can keep the core group of personnel essential to your business for a long time.
What Is The Levy Rate for Workers with CoreTrade?
The levy rate is basically a pricing mechanism to regulate the number of foreign workers in Singapore and varies depending on the sector involved.
The levy rate that employers pay mainly depends on two factors:
- The worker’s qualifications.
- The number of Work permits or S Pass holders hired.
The levy rate for the construction sector are:
| Monthly | Daily | |
| Malaysians and NAS – Higher-Skilled | $300 | $9.87 |
| Malaysians and NAS – Basic-Skilled | $700 | $23.02 |
| NTS and PRC – Higher-Skilled, on MYE | $300 | $9.87 |
| NTS and PRC – Basic-Skilled, on MYE | $700 | $23.02 |
| NTS and PRC – Higher-Skilled, MYE waiver | $600 | $19.73 |
| NTS and PRC – Basic-Skilled, MYE waiver | $950 | $31.24 |
Just based on looking at the Foreign Worker Levy Scheme, it’s super worth it to register your workers for a CoreTrade course as it lowers the levy rate for you and upgrades your general builders to become more skilled in key construction trades and become recognized as certified CoreTrade personnel! Now all you got to do is see whether your personnel are eligible for it!
Eligibility to sign up for CoreTrade Training Course
Based on the core trade scheme implemented by BCA, to be eligible for the CoreTrade training course, the eligibility requirements include:
| Qualification of Worker | Years of Construction Experience in Singapore | Practical Test | Theory Test |
| CoreTrade Tradesmen | Minimum 4 years | PASS | – |
| CoreTrade Foremen | Minimum 6 years | PASS | PASS |
| CoreTrade Supervisor | Minimum 8 years | PASS | PASS |
Applications for the CoreTrade training course should be in PDF format and submitted online for registration. Interested applicants should prepare the required documents as listed below:
- Worker’s NRIC (for Singaporean and Singapore PR) or valid work permit/employment pass (for foreigners)(front and back on a single page). For a company application, the name of the employer in the application must be similar to the employer stated in the foreign worker’s work pass.
- Skills Evaluation Certificate (SEC/SEC(K) or approved technical/academic qualification [foreign work permit holders who have obtained their (SEC/SEC(K) previously are not required to attach this certificate). A list of recognized qualifications can be found here.
- Valid Crane Operation Licence issued by the MOM (front and back on a single page). This is mandatory for all licensed crane operators.
- Valid Plumber or Electrician Licence. This is mandatory for all licensed plumbers or electricians.
- Worker’s employment details (for work permit holder) obtained via the Ministry of Manpower website (WP Online), to verify the applicant’s years of local construction experience. This is mandatory for all foreign work permit holders. A sample for the correct document attachment and information can be downloaded here.
The BCA will also charge a non-refundable application fee of $15 for each application submission.
Aesperon Construction is a BCA-approved training centre! We have plentiful courses and certified trainers available in our centre that help people working in construction trades to learn new skills and upgrade themselves to be more valuable in the industry. The language of instruction in our courses will be primarily held in English and Mandarin Chinese. Test papers in the Tamil and Thai language are also available and can be provided by BCA.
If you need more information regarding any of the schemes and registration process or find out how you can upgrade your workforce and cut your costs at the same time, call us at 67413131 or email us at hello@aesperon.com.sg for a no-obligation enquiry!
Here is a list of our CoreTrade Courses:
Top 3 CoreTrade Courses By Aesperon Academy
Since 2012, Aesperon Construction has been providing reliable, relevant, and cost-effective courses to upskill and empower your workforce. We work closely with our partners to ensure that our courses meet stringent criteria and requirements. As the corporate development arm of Aesperon Group, Aesperon Construction takes great pride in delivering training solutions that exceed industry standards.
We believe that our Coretrade courses not only elevate the skillsets of individual tradesmen but also raise the standards of the industry.
We employ a wide range of training methods to provide courses that span across industries and levels. We collaborate with local and international clients to develop a high-performing and quality syllabus to meet your business requirements, and our courses are designed to equip learners with relevant knowledge to excel in their areas of expertise.
Aesperon is a WSQ Approved Training Organisation and we work with BCA Approved Partners. Our multiple CoreTrade courses have been steadily maintained at a 95% passing rate.
Our trainers are selected from a rigorous process to take trainees through a valuable and meaningful learning journey. We keep our ears close to the ground and are constantly exploring new courses and frameworks that can be used to increase the skill set of our workforce.
1. PAINTING
What you will benefit from this course:
Lowered levies for construction companies when workers are SEC-K certified
Meet BCA 10% RI requirement for construction companies (direct R1)
Longer working years and higher employability in Singapore for construction workers
COURSE CONTENTS
This course aims to provide trainees with knowledge and skills in painting. They will be trained to recognize different types of paint, techniques of application, and proper handling of painting tools and equipment. More importantly, trainees will be taught to practice good painting habits and worksite safety relating to painting. The course consists of the following topics:
- General Knowledge & Safety in Painting Works
- Painting Materials and Estimation
- Methods of Application
- Quality & Defects in Painting
- Practical Projects
Trainers of different nationalities (Chinese, Bangladeshi, and Indian) will be present to assist workers during the training.
2. PRECAST CONCRETE COMPONENT ERECTION
What you will benefit from this course:
Lowered levies for construction companies when workers are SEC-K certified
Meet BCA 10% RI requirement for construction companies (direct R1)
Longer working years and higher employability in Singapore for construction workers
COURSE CONTENTS
This course consists of practical and theory training sessions covering the following topics:
- Handling of PC components
- Inspection & quality control
- Placements & adjustments
- Propping
- Safety aspects
Components covered in this course include columns, beams, slabs, staircases, refuse chutes, facades, gable-end walls, and space-adding items.
3. SUSPENDED CEILING INSTALLATION (ACOUSTICAL)
COURSE CONTENTS
These are practical and theory-oriented courses. The lessons comprise workshop practicals, classroom lectures, and video instructions. It teaches the general knowledge of ceiling and drywall installation as well as the practical preparation of suspension and grid components, fabrication of grid work, and installation of ceiling panels. Trainees will be assessed by BCA.
- Methods of fixture installation and tools
- Good practices in suspended ceiling installation and safety
- Practical workshop on the exposed grid and cell-type ceiling
- Practical workshop on clip-on grid ceiling
- Practical workshop on semi-exposed grid ceiling
Trainers of different nationalities (Chinese, Bangladeshi, and Indian) will be present to assist workers during the training.
More Aesperon CoreTrade Courses
For our full list of available CoreTrade Courses, please click here.
How To Apply For CoreTrade Courses?
To check your eligibility for these courses, please check our website here at aesperonconstruction.sg to find out more.
Why choose us?
To start working as a construction worker in Singapore, it is a requirement to possess a skills evaluation certificate. We have a more than 95% Passing Rate for our certification courses. As we understand that weekdays are mainly the important workdays, many weekend training slots are available in ATTC. Free transportation will be provided as well! (Terms and conditions apply).
If you have any queries, do not hesitate to contact us!
Suggested Keywords: Aesperon Construction, BCA Approved Training, BCA – ATTC Training, SGCK Training, Coretrade Training, Core Trade Training, Validation Training, Weekend Construction Training, Malaysian Construction workers Training, Lower Levies for Construction Workers.
![How To Lower Foreign Worker’s Levies Through Multi-Skill Courses [BCA Approved]](https://aesperonconstruction.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WhatsApp-Image-2022-04-25-at-7.14.52-AM-768x576.jpeg)
