The International Trading Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) was unveiled yesterday as part of the Adapt and Grow initiative. Officially launched by Mr Ong Ye Kung, Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), the International Trading PCP was jointly developed by SMU’s International Trading Institute, International Enterprise Singapore with the Workforce Development Agency (WDA), and the International Chamber of Commerce Academy. The scheme can potentially place and train 300 people in three years. It targets professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs), a group becoming more vulnerable to long-term unemployment amid a weakening global economy. It joins 33 conversion programmes in other sectors that train mid-career professionals to switch industries. WDA will fund 70 per cent of the course for local PMETs and up to 90 per cent of their pay, capped at $4,000 a month, adding up to about $61,000 in funding for each trainee.