The question of what HCS does can be best summed up thus. Human Capital Singapore (HCS) creates, trains and disseminates people management knowledge and competencies to help businesses optimize their people resources and strengthen their performance. Operating as a partner of the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) in rolling out the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ), we convene conferences and competency-based workshops, make forecasts, assess trends and bring managers and leaders together to learn from one another and spawn action learning in their workplace.

HCS is poised to be the Centre for human capital knowledge and practices.

Gone are the days when only the HR department handles people matters. Today, regardless of the position or title you hold, you will inevitably handle some degree of HR matters if you have people reporting to you. People management is no longer confined to the HR department and although not all people managers are qualified to perform an HR function, people managers must possess the core HR competencies that will enable them to manage and develop their team of people effectively.

Singapore has moved from a manufacturing to a knowledge-based economy where knowledge is power. We have influences from the East and West. We have people coming from all walks of life and various parts of this world. The world is evolving to accommodate globalisation. So must HR and people practices and the competencies that go with it. HR is increasingly directed to understanding the dynamics of this knowledge-based economy and what it means to be competitive. People are recognised as the main driving force behind any real competitive advantage. Therefore, change must take place in people managers because of this intersection of culture.

Singapore is a launch pad. We have the right infrastructure and we are the place where people want to be. Globalisation means we have a diverse workforce and synergies become increasingly challenging as people managers grapple with the right skills and attributes to manage such diversity.

HCS has a role to play and that is to prepare our people managers to meet the challenges of today and the future. We help to define key attributes that make us responsive and proactive to the dynamic environment we operate in. We need to shape and reshape ourselves and our thinking. The fraternity of people managers encompasses the various professionals in the industry. HCS will shape and nurture the capabilities of this fraternity.

Every one of us has opportunities in our lives. Those that reach the top are always those who prepare for doors of opportunity and are ready to walk through them when they open. Throughout life, each door leads to another. We do not know what is ahead but we must always be ready to take up the challenges when faced with them and be prepared to walk through each successive door of opportunity. The question is: "When a door opens, will you be ready to walk through it?"

The HR profession is one that can value-add to an organisation and help an organisation achieve success if aligned properly with its business objectives and goals. People are no longer looked upon as a mere resource but an invaluable asset to the success and growth of an organisation when developed and managed in the best possible way.

It is my hope that HCS will be able to help you get the credentials you need to create value and prepare you so that you will always be ready to enter each successive door of opportunity when you come to it.

HO GEOK CHOO
Chief Executive Officer
Human Capital Singapore