The Generic Manufacturing Skills WSQ framework is developed to:

• Raise professionalism of the industry and improve global competitiveness
• Skill up the workforce with national qualifications that is recognised by the industry
• Create training avenues for workers to advance in their jobs and enter new industry sectors
• Equip workers with cross-cutting generic manufacturing skills to promote mobility across manufacturing companies
• Re-train and re-deploy vulnerable/ displaced workers to growth sectors in the  manufacturing industry
• Expand and maintain a ready pool of  trained workers to meet the manpower needs of manufacturing companies

The Generic Manufacturing Skills WSQ framework comprises 3 clusters:

1. Precision Cluster including sub-sectors such as Precision Engineering, Aerospace, Marine, Medical Technology, etc.
2. Process Cluster including sub-sectors such as Chemicals, Pharmaceutical, Engineering Services, Environmental Technology, etc.
3. Integration Cluster including sub-sectors such as Electronics, Food Manufacturing, etc.
4. Logistics Cluster including sub-sectors such as Warehouse Services, Freight and Transportation, Supply Chain Management, etc.

Apart from core modules that are common to all 3 clusters, elective modules may differ according to the specific cluster. Four qualifications, namely the Certificate in Generic Manufacturing Skills (CGM), Certificate in Generic Manufacturing Skills (Logistics), Certificate in Generic Manufacturing Skills (Integration) and Certificate in Generic Manufacturing (Process) have been developed.

The certificates comprise 3 common core modules and 2 elective modules. The elective modules for CGM are specific to sectors within the Precision Cluster while elective modules for CGM (Logistics) and CGM (Integration) relate to Logistics functions applicable to all clusters and the Electronics sub-sector respectively.