A FEW hundred manufacturing workers every year will get the chance to have their skills upgraded, to equip them for a cutting-edge field of drug-making.

Singapore is moving to pre-empt a manpower shortage in the field of biologics, which are drugs made from living cells.

The Government is looking to launch a re-skilling programme next year to ensure that the 1,150 positions at five upcoming biologic plants in Singapore will be filled when they come online between 2009 and 2012.

Workers offered the chance to gain the new skills can look forward to wages 50 per cent higher than the manufacturing average.

"Our institutes of higher learning are designing conversion programmes to provide training at various levels," said Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang yesterday, as Swiss drug giant Novartis announced plans to build a US$700 million (S$1.02 billion) biologic plant in Singapore.

"The Government is prepare to share the initial costs of re-skilling these employees."

Biologics, touted as the "next big thing" in the pharmaceutical sector, are medicines made up of large, complex molecules such as proteins.

Singapore is set to become a key global production site of these new drugs with US$1.64 billion worth of facilities being built here.

Unlike traditional drugs made via chemical processes, biologic manufacturing centres on cultivating living cells of mammals, bacteria and yeast in large vats.

The heavy emphasis on biology for future growth could mean much of Singapore's manufacturing workforce is left behind, as they have worked largely in the electronics, petrochemical and precision engineering spheres.

That means those wishing to switch industries will need to bone up on these new processes.

Economic Development Board (EDB) biomedical sciences executive director Yeoh Keat Chuan said the conversion course will likely be hosted at one of the polytechnics or institutes of technical education.

A miniature factory is likely to be built to ensure participants get hands-on experience.

Mr Yeoh said the conversion of skills programme is likely to require three to six months.

While details are still being finalised, he said the EDB sponsors up to 50 per cent of costs in other job training programmes.

Mr Yeoh said drug firms are looking for people who can work in clean rooms so workers in the semiconductor and hard disk drive industries can consider switching.

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