Hawkers Development Programme

Register Your Interest

 | 


The Hawkers Development Programme (HDP) is an initiative by National Environmental Agency (NEA) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to equip aspiring hawkers with the fundamental entrepreneurship skills and foundational culinary skills to embark on their Hawkerpreneurial journey.

In this programme, candidates will graduate with a "Core Hawker Entrepreneurship Fundamentals" certificate from ACI, after stage 1. The entire programme involves three stages:

Stage 1, 5-day TRAINING AT ACI

Stage 1 training titled "Core Hawker Entrepreneurship Fundamentals" involves 5 days of training at ACI (9am to 6pm) and covers the following 2 modules:

- Hawker Business Fundamentals, 2-day module
- Hawker Culinary Fundamentals, 3-day module
Stage 2, 8-week APPRENTICE

Trainee will undergo 8 weeks of apprenticeship at a Hawker Mentor’s stall.  Trainee will learn skills of running a hawker business. This stage is available only to Trainees who sign up for the full HDP (stage 1, 2 and 3).

The Hawker Mentor will guide the Trainee to prepare for Stage 3 - preparation of a commercially viable hawker dish or dishes and business plan for eventual business, through either:
(i) NEA Hawker Stall Tender Scheme followed by
(ii) NEA Incubation Stall Programme.
Stage 3, 12-week START OF BUSINESS

At this stage, Trainee will start their business at their own hawker stall. For the first 12 weeks during this stage, Hawker Mentor will maintain regular communication with the trainee, checking in and advising on areas of improvement, to help Trainee transit seamlessly into a steady state of viable business operations.

Stalls sourced through NEA's Incubation Stall Programme will enjoy rental rebate of up to 40% for 15 months and the stall is pre-fitted with basic fixtures and equipment. Stalls sourced through NEA Hawker Stall Tender Scheme does not enjoy rebate or pre-fitting.

This stage is available only to Trainees who sign up for the full HDP (stages 1, 2, and 3)

Training Allowance

Trainees who commit to ALL 3 stages spelt out above are eligible for Training Allowance of up to $50 per training day in Stage 1, up to $1,000 per training month in Stage 2 & 3*.

Training Allowance for stage 1 & 2 will be disbursed only after stage 2 is completed, and all logbooks are duly signed and submitted to NEA.

Training Allowance for stage 3 will be disbursed only after stage 3 is completed, and logbooks are duly signed and submitted to NEA.

*Terms and conditions applies*

If you have further queries on the Hawkers Development Programme:

NEA Contact Details
Please email NEA at hdp@nea.gov.sg or contact 1800-2255-632 (1800-CALL-NEA). Visit NEA website at www.nea.gov.sg/programmes-grants/hdp.

ACI Contact Details
Please email info@aci.edu.sg or contact 6417-3318.

At the end of Hawker Business Fundamentals 2-day module, learners will be able to:
  • Understand the key features and characteristics of being a Hawker in Singapore
  • Define the Unique Selling Point (USP) of the food items
  • Understand basic financial concepts - Revenues, Expenses, Profits & Loss
  • Understand customer profile to modify food taste to local clientele
  • Build loyalty and retain customers for long-term sustainability
  • Acquire new customers through both traditional and digital platforms
  • Learn the essential digital Apps, including e-Payments and marketing tactics via practical hands-on session (e.g. e-NETS, SGQR, Google Street View, Grab Food, Deliveroo, Food Panda, etc.)
  • Learn to set prices for revenue maximisation
  • Get familiar with available government funding schemes
  • Write a simple Business Plan

At the end of Hawker Culinary Fundamentals 3-day module, learners will be able to apply various cooking techniques to create these hawker dishes from scratch:

  • Basic Rempah (Chili Paste / Sambal Chili Belacan)
  • A full Nasi Lemak Meal (Basmati Rice, Fried Chicken Wing, Fried Fish, Ikan Bilis with peanuts and Cucumber)
  • A full Hainanese Chicken Rice meal (fluffly fragrant rice, juicy poached chicken with chicken stock/soup, spicy chili and pungent ginger)
  • Char Kway Teow
  • Fried Hokkien Mee


* You must have a valid Food Safety Course Level 1 Certificate (valid for 5 years) before you are allowed to proceed to Stage 2 of this Programme.

One intake every three months. Upcoming intakes for 2023:

  • 14 to 18 August (registration opens 13 May)
  • 6 to 10 November (registration opens 19 August)


Class confirmation is subject to sufficient Trainee sign-ups for the intake, and after payment is made.

Stage 1, 5-day TRAINING AT ACI, total course fee of all 2 modules

S’porean S’pore PR
Programme Fee $2,300.00 $2,300.00
Less 70% SSG Subsidy $1,610.00 $1,610.00
Nett Course Fee $690.00 $690.00
GST rate before 1 Jan 2023 8% 8%
Add GST charge $55.20 $55.20
Less 1% GST absorbed for S'poreans only* $6.90 N.A.
Payable Course Fees $738.30 $745.20
For S'poreans aged 40 & above
Additional 20% MCES subsidy of Programme Fee $460
Payable Course Fees $278.30

* The increase of 1% GST on fees will be absorbed for Singapore Citizens in 2023. 

Payment accepted via：
  • AXS 
  • NETS at ACI counter
  • SkillsFuture Credit (For Singaporeans aged 25 and above) 
  • PAYNOW

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) Subsidy

Enjoy 70% SSG subsidy for all Singaporeans below 40 years old and PRs
Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (MCES) Subsidy

Enjoy 90% SSG subsidy for Singaporeans aged 40 years old and above
SkillsFuture Credit (SFC)

All Singaporeans aged 25 and above will receive an opening credit of S$500 from January 2016. 
You may utilise your SkillsFuture Credit to offset the payable course fee after SSG subsidy/funding.


English speaking Singaporeans and PRs who aspire to be a hawker.

Entry Requirements:

Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, 18 years old and above;
Minimum Secondary Education or Workplace Literacy and Numeracy [WPLN score: Level 4 for Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing and Numeracy]
All applications will be evaluated to determine their suitablity for admission into our relevant level of programmes. This is subjected to submission of the required supporting documents and the minimum enrolment to start a class.

Please note that our kitchens are designed to accommodate 24 Trainees with 3 Trainees sharing one work-station. With relaxation of Covid measures, we have reverted to conducting classes at full capacity of 24 pax.

REFUND POLICY

  • Strictly no refund allowed.
  • Only on very exceptional cases and with valid reason* (subject to management approval), we will refund 75% of paid course fee for class withdrawal. Notice must be given at least 14 calendar days before class starts. An Appeal Form must be submitted.
  • Valid reasons* with supporting documents are: -
  1. Medical
  2. Reservist
  3. Court Appearance
  4. Bereavement of immediate family (parents, in-laws, siblings, spouse & children)

FEES FORFIETURE

  • For absenteeism (class missed) with valid reason, Appeal Form must be submitted within 5 working days (from start date of the class) to appeal for make-up class with documentary proof. Otherwise, paid fees will be forfeited.
  • Course fee paid will be forfeited for absenteeism without valid reason.
  • If replacement class or make-up class & date is NOT specified in the Appeal Form, the appeal approval is only valid for 4 months or until 1 Feb, whichever is earlier. After which, the paid fee will be forfeited.
  • If student missed Day 1 of class, they will not be allowed to attend remaining sessions. Their paid fees will be forfeited if there is no reason for missing Day 1.