Enhanced incentives to attract mid-career professionals to join healthcare sector

Minister of State for Health, Dr Amy Khor, has announced enhanced incentives that mid-career professionals will enjoy, when they switch career to become a nurse or allied health professional from April next year. 

As the government invests in more healthcare facilities to cater to an ageing population, the demand for nurses and allied health professionals will also increase. 

One way to grow the pool is to attract more mid-career professionals, who'll need to undergo a professional conversion programme by the Workforce Development Agency, or W-D-A. 

Such programmes typically cost between 62 thousand and 68 thousand dollars for each trainee. 

About 20 to 30 per cent of fees are currently funded by employers, while the rest are subsidised by WDA. 

But from April next year, WDA will bear all training fees. 

Monthly training allowances will also go up. 

Registered nurses or allied health trainees can expect to receive allowances of between 1,500 and 1,700 dollars, compared with the current 1-thousand-dollar payout. 

To help the mid-career professionals make an informed decision on the career switch, from next year, they'll also be given an opportunity to undergo an attachment at a healthcare institution, prior to joining the conversion programme.