Despite the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Singapore has managed to cope with the pandemic - with the help of our unsung, everyday heroes. As a recruitment outsourcing agency in Singapore, we’re proud to have helped hire thousands of them in these urgent positions.
As the COVID-19 vaccination programme progressively rolls out in Singapore, we'd like to take this opportunity to should out to our unsung heroes who are working tirelessly to keep us safe from the virus.
Whether you're an employer looking for a high volume of manpower to join your organisation for similar large scale projects, or a job seeker looking to join the fight against COVID-19, read on to learn about who these people are, and the skills needed to be in their shoes.
1. Safety Distancing Ambassadors
Skills Required: Physically fit individuals, team player, good interpersonal communication skills, positive attitude and other customer service skills.
The role of a safety distancing ambassador is to ensure that individuals entering a building adhere to safety measures. A big part of their responsibility also includes:
Reminding individuals that they’re required to wear the mask all the time
Restrict the number of people gathered closely together in restaurants, lifts, shopping malls and otherwise
2. Software Engineers / Developers
Skills Required: Programming language, knowledge of algorithm and data structures, communication skills, and teamwork skills to name a few.
Despite the pandemic, the tech and cyber security sector are always hungry for more talents. Thanks to COVID-19, individuals are now relying more on online technology and apps for both work and pleasure. Websites such as Zoom, Google Chats, as well as check-in apps like Trace Together have skyrocketed in the past few days. With the need for automation speeding up thanks to COVID-19, software engineers are required to fill the demand.
Some responsibilities often covered by software engineers include:
Investigating and using new technology when relevant
Enhancing and creating new applications
Making recommendations and designing systems
Maintaining and improving existing codebases
More on the importance of software engineers during the pandemic here.
For job seekers looking to jump into software engineering our article can help you out with the qualifications and courses needed.
3. Swabbers/ Swab Operations
Skills Required: Nasopharyngeal trained swab operators, basic computer skills, good communication and customer service skills and N/O/A level qualifications are also required
The role of a swab operator and a swab assistant can be broken down into many different responsibilities. In general, these frontline workers will often have to:
Perform Nasopharyngeal swab operations
Identify positive test cases
Tagging of swab specimens
Basic data entry
Keep in mind that swabbers and/or swab operators do not need to have prior experience in healthcare. Some companies do offer job training.
4. Temperature Screeners
Skills Required: Good organizational and communication skills, basic computer skills, no prior experience required
It’s no secret that a number of front liners in operational roles are crucial in Singapore’s fight against COVID-19. Temperature screeners that BGC Group deploys across various healthcare, checkpoints and building sites are needed to assist with temperature screening, as well as ensuring that visitors have checked in using Safe Entry/Trace Together for contact tracing to name a few.
Other responsibilities include:
Enforcing safety management measures (e.g. crowd control, ensuring safe distancing takes place, checking to see if visitors are masked properly)
In addition, some temperature screeners are required to conduct inspections to see if compliance measures have taken place.
Pro-Tip: Keep in mind that there has been some misinformation floating around the internet regarding temperature screeners. Learn more about the misinformation about temperature screener roles here.
5. Lab Testers and Lab Assistants
Skills Required: Previous lab experience would be required, tertiary qualifications in Chemistry or Biology would be useful.
With the vaccine set to make its way around Singapore. It is no surprise that lab tester and lab assistant jobs are still in demand. Some responsibilities that lab assistants and lab testers are required to conduct include:
Preparing lab equipment for tests
Monitor ongoing tests and experiments
Clean and disinfect lab equipment
Other niche responsibilities include being able to operate the ‘Pneumatic Tube System (PTS)’ as well as meeting proper lab waste disposal standards.
6. Contact Tracing Officers
Skills Required: Basic computer skills, data entry skills, communication and customer servicing skills will be needed.
Despite the global battle against the pandemic, contact tracing is a role that’s almost exclusive to Singapore. Contact tracing officers are often divided into four different roles:
Working in close contact with the Ministry of Health (MOH)
Interviews patients and individuals who might’ve come in close contact with the COVID-19 virus
Reviewing the data collected
Tracking down contacts that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has not managed to contact
Other responsibilities that contract tracing officers will have to conduct include data collection, temperature screening, as well as communicating with the general public.
7. Ops Coordinators
Skills Required: The ability to work well under pressure, prior experience either in operations, admin coordination, and project management is required. Teamwork and good communication skills are also an added advantage.
A COVID-19 Ops Coordinator wears many hats. Deployment to COVID-19 outbreak operations include:
Emergency Operations Centres: To coordinate healthcare operations
Quarantine Operations: Liaise and coordinate with agencies regarding quarantine, ambulances, and border health matters
Resource Management: Manage medical supplies for the healthcare sector
For those unfamiliar with the role of a COVID-19 Ops Coordinator. Some of their responsibilities include the monitoring and tracking of statistics and data, as well as managing cases and enquiries to name a few.
Looking For Your Own Team of Heroes?
As a trusted recruitment agency in Singapore, BGC Group has managed to hire and deploy hundreds of these unsung heroes, tirelessly working behind the scenes at public and private organisations throughout this global pandemic. Our HR and recruitment specialists are equipped with the insights and connections to help you build your organisation's team with its own team of heroes.
Need your manpower outsourcing project or recruitment project managed effectively and safely? Contact BGC Group today.
Are there some unsung heroes behind Singapore’s fight against COVID-19 that we’ve failed to mention? Share them with us in the comments section below!As always, we will be updating this list to include more heroes in the future!
Read More: Want to Save the World? Here are the Top Singaporean Jobs in Demand Right Now