Singapore government providing $10M to fund development of design talent
Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, April 10, 2006
Singapore — The government here will provide the equivalent of $10 million over three years to help the Singapore Furniture Inds. Council hone design talent in the local furniture industry.
The funding, from the government's Local Enterprise and Assn. Development program, will help support internships for design students at furniture companies.
Priority will be given to finalists of the International Furniture Fair Singapore's annual Furniture Design Award program. But other designers will be considered.
Area students receive some course work in furniture design. But because educational programs often have an architectural or interior design focus, officials say, local furniture companies often lose talent to other industries.
"We want to bring all this talent forward and work with the industry to have a mentoring program for (designers)," said Simon Ong, chairman of SFIC's Design Development Committee. "Hopefully they will choose furniture design as their career."
The funding also will support a Design Entrepreneur Development program aimed at helping individuals and companies become more design-focused.
The LEAD program also will help fund an initiative announced last year called the International Furniture Center. Officials believe this 260,000-square-foot office and warehouse complex will help make Singapore a furniture industry destination.
A section of this complex would house a Design Village to train and showcase area design talent. The center is expected to open by the fourth quarter of this year.
