Enhanced TTDS to Support More Local Translation & Interpretation Practitioners

1. More local translation and interpretation (T&I) practitioners will now be eligible for the Translation Talent Development Scheme (TTDS), following enhancements by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) to this co-sponsorship grant. Recipients of the TTDS grant in 2021 will receive a five per cent higher funding quantum. Applications for the enhanced TTDS for 2021 will be open from 1 April to 30 June 2021, and can be made at www.mci.gov.sg/what-we-do/public-comms-and-engagement/translation-services/.

Enhanced TTDS

2. To expand and diversify our pool of T&I practitioners, TTDS is now extended to practitioners from the private sector with at least one year of experience in T&I and good work performance. Previously, TTDS required applicants to have at least three years of experience in T&I and good work performance.

3. To support our T&I practitioners through the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide further subsidies for capability development, successful applicants in 2021 will receive a higher funding subsidy of 95 per cent, up to a cap of S$10,000 per recipient.  Previously, TTDS subsidised 90 per cent of expenses incurred by successful applicants in their participation of capability development programmes related to translation, interpretation and/or languages, up to a cap of S$10,000 per recipient. These programmes can be held locally or overseas, such as

• short courses, workshops and intensive summer courses;
• courses that lead to a full qualification (e.g. Diploma, Bachelor’s degree, Postgraduate diploma, Master’s degree);
• conferences and seminars;
• webinars;
• certification examinations.

Applicants may attend multiple programmes, so long as these programmes are within the eligibility period¹ and can be covered by the grant.

TTDS Since 2018

4. A total of 20 T&I practitioners have benefited from TTDS since its inception in 2018. These recipients attended a variety of capability development programmes in Singapore, including modular courses and Master’s degree courses in local and overseas universities, as well as webinars and overseas conferences. Please refer to Annex A [link removed] for background on the TTDS.

5. Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Ms Sim Ann, who is also the Chairperson of the National Translation Committee (NTC), said the grant serves to recognise the recipients’ dedication towards raising translation standards in Singapore. She added that the translation community has a part to play in ensuring that those in our society who prefer to communicate in their mother tongue languages are not left behind.

“Since the inception of TTDS in 2018, we have been supporting a stream of applicants who wish to upskill in translation, and whom we hope will help strengthen the industry in the long run. With the enhanced TTDS, we can give stronger support to even more potential applicants. I hope more Singaporeans who have a passion for translation and languages can step forward and take advantage of this expanded opportunity.”

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¹ For the 2021 application cycle, programmes of a duration up to one year must either start or end between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022 (both dates inclusive). Programmes that stretch more than one year must end by 31 March 2024.