24 September 2020
In a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing witnessed by Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Mr Ng Chee Meng, and Group Chief Executive Officer of Surbana Jurong Group, Mr Wong Heang Fine, AETOS has committed to work with the Union of Security Employees (USE) to form a Company Training Committee (CTC) aimed at upskilling its security officers by deepening their core skills and diversifying their competencies; with a view to transform the role of a security officer and make security a career of choice.
The CTC will equip AETOS security officers with expanded competencies to complement their security skillsets. Currently, AETOS officers are required to attend digital literacy and customer service WSQ courses, in addition to the basic licensing units. By becoming more digitally-savvy, the officers are better able to utilise technology solutions to enhance their productivity in their daily operations. Another objective of the CTC is to uplift the role of the security officers beyond just “guarding”. Officers will be taught fundamental skills in facilities management and equipped with Company Emergency Response Team knowledge. The former will allow officers to identify and report basic building infrastructure faults, shortening the rectification process by the building management, while the latter will empower them to help control incidents and minimise injuries in the event of an emergency.
With these added competencies, the officers can remain relevant and future-ready, and can provide additional value to the clients in terms of productivity and integrated solutions. Through this partnership, more than 1,000 officers will stand to benefit from better career progression, job prospects and possibly wages in line with their newly-acquired skillsets in the near future.
Aside from being upskilled and gaining expanded competencies, officers can also enjoy a longer career and strengthen their lifelong employability, with AETOS raising the retirement and re-employment age to 65 and 70 respectively from next month, ahead of the national implementation deadline of 2030.
Mr Alfred Fox, Executive Director and CEO of AETOS Holdings said, “Developing Our People is one of the key thrusts of AETOS’ transformation plan to become an integrated and future-ready service provider. Our employees have always been at the heart of our business and we will ensure that they remain resilient, relevant and prepared for the future. Through this partnership with USE, we are pleased to pledge our commitment to equip our officers with the necessary skills and integrated competencies to help drive changes in the security industry, create new value and productivity for our clients, and help our officers gain an advantage in terms of career prospects and personal development.”
Mr Raymond Chin, General Secretary of the Union of Security Employees said, “USE has been working with the industry towards transforming the security sector. Through the introduction of the Progressive Wage Model in 2014 to the current focus on driving Outcome-based Contracting, our vision is to ensure better work prospects and better wages for our officers. We have studied how countries like Sweden and Australia have been able to make good progress in these areas, and this CTC is our first step with our unionised agency AETOS towards that end.”
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05 August 2020
Fourteen AETOS officers received awards and recognition from the Security Association of Singapore during this year’s Security Officers Day. The Awards were launched in 2014 to recognise outstanding officers who have performed exemplarily in their duties and who have actively adapted to using technology on the job.
Among the recipients is Security Executive Thurkadevi, who was named Security Officer of the Year. Devi was nominated for her role as team leader of the security operations team at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) – one of the largest multi-disciplinary public hospitals in Singapore, and instrumental to the national response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the difficulties they faced, Devi displayed exemplary leadership and pro-activeness as she worked tirelessly to uphold heightened security measures, while making sure that her team was kept well-informed and aware of the evolving situation. She also made the health and well-being of her officers her topmost priority, ensuring that personal protective equipment was readily available and that temperature-taking and social distancing guidelines were adhered to.
Security Supervisor Saiful received the Job Redesign Award for his commitment to self-learning and upskilling, as well as his contributions to work productivity and security outcomes. A strong advocate of upgrading one’s self, Saiful actively motivates his team members to expand their competencies through continuous learning, and leads by example. He is also able to come up with innovative solutions to workplace issues, harnessing technology to reduce inefficiencies and free up manpower for higher value work.
Said Mr. Alvin Tan, General Manager of AETOS Guard Services, “We are glad that our officers are recognized for their hard work and commitment, especially during this challenging period. I am confident that they will continue to excel, and uplift the industry as a whole.
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08 June 2020
As part of Singapore’s ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, AETOS is doing our part to provide security services for foreign worker dormitories and alternative accommodation facilities. A few hundred AETOS Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) and Security Officers have been deployed at 53 different locations across the island, including Government Quarantine Facilities (GQF), floating hotels under the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), and military camps. As part of our integrated services, AETOS is also supplying technology solutions such as CCTV systems to some of the deployment sites.
In addition to the regular duties such as security patrols and access control, the officers also perform temperature checks, ensure that social distancing measures are adhered to, and escort workers who have tested positive for COVID-19. This is no easy feat as the officers are required to don full personal protective equipment (PPE) - including medical gowns and gloves at some of these deployments - for their entire 12-hour shifts.
Said Sergeant (APF) Syarifuddin, an APO currently deployed at an isolation facility, “Once I put on the attire, I better understood the hardships that healthcare workers face on a daily basis. While it is not easy to wear full PPE under the hot sun, I hope to make a positive impact alongside my fellow AETOS frontliners”.
Mr. Lim Kok Hwa, Vice President of Operations said, “In times of adversity, our actions define who we are and what we are capable of. We are proud that our officers stepped up to the challenge and joined in the national effort to battle this pandemic on the frontlines. To support them, our main priority lies in ensuring our officers’ well-being. With constant supervisory visits and increased measures targeted at maximising their welfare, our officers are able to discharge their duties with confidence and positivity.”
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