Workforce upgrading has been a national imperative in Singapore since 2008. Terms like upskilling, reskilling, lifelong learning and continuous learning have been featured widely from business conversations to government speeches, especially over the last two years as the world grappled with COVID-19. Seen as a way to navigate the abrupt changes and unprecedented restrictions in the markets, upskilling and reskilling became distinct routes for workers to find relevance and value in the altered landscape. In a 2022 work monitor report by employment agency Randstad, 91% of Singaporeans wanted career learning and development opportunities.
Speaking to LinkedIn, Ubisoft’s Andrew Saidy said, “It’s unsurprising that we see more and more progressive companies naming chief learning officers — as was the case with chief diversity officers when diversity was no longer an HR topic but a business advantage.” Since the rise of cultivating a learner’s mindset, the Vice President of Global Talent concluded that, “Learning is not an HR topic; it’s a business topic.”
Singapore has long recognised the need for adult education, and in 2015, created SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to help Singaporeans discover their full potential through continual learning. Since its inception, SSG has helped many locals with their career paths and saw over 247,000 use their credits in 2021. Here are five of the most significant developments that happened this year.
More support for mid-career transitions to growth areas of the economy
Announced during Singapore’s Budget plan early this year, the new SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) is launched to support mid-career individuals with acquiring industry-relevant skills to improve their employability, allowing more to pivot to new sectors or job roles. The train-and-place modular programmes come in part-time or full-time formats ranging from three to 12 months, and participants will also enjoy employment facilitation if needed upon completion.
The number of SCTP courses is expected to reach 200 courses by 2025 and will include baseline subsidies of up to 70% of course fees. Stimulating greater work capabilities for local maturing workers, there is also an enhanced funding subsidy of up to 90% for Singapore Citizens aged 40 years old and above under the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy. Additionally, up to 95% of course fees are possible for those with greater needs, including those who are considered long-term unemployed individuals (unemployed for six months or more), individuals in need or are in existing financial assistance, or persons with disabilities.
In the area of financial services, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Workforce Singapore (WSG) and the Institute of Banking & Finance (IBF) have worked together to support more systematically mid-career transitions to the sector. The Technology in Finance Immersion Programme (TFIP), one of the key reskilling initiatives to meet the talent needs of the sector, has launched its fourth run and doubled the number of training places offered.
In addition, a new Wealth Management Accelerator Programme (WMAP) has been established to skill professionals with a passion for customer relationship management and an interested in pursuing wealth management as a career.
If you are looking to acquire industry-relevant skills to improve employability or pivot to new sectors, check out SMU Academy’s SCTP programmes here.
Refreshed funding framework to support better training and manpower outcomes
With even established and mature professionals being impacted by the multitude of disruptions, the government is seeking to support more mid-career professionals with financial subsidies and programmes such as SCTP to facilitate career pivots.
As SSG moves to stream funding to certifiable courses that reinforce its objectives, such as those that facilitate job placement or bolster existing employability and priority skillsets, it announced a cessation of funding to non-certifiable courses from 2024 onwards and has distributed it instead to higher tier funding to courses that deliver stronger enterprise transformation or manpower development objectives.
At his opening speech during SkillsFuture Forum 2022 on 5 July, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing explained how this assisted both stakeholders by helping with job placement, skills deepening and career advancement for individuals, and business transformation for organisations.
With the announcement, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) will cease funding for non-certifiable courses starting from January 2024. The use of SkillsFuture credit to cover the course fees will also not be applicable. SSG said that these courses currently receive the lowest tier of subsidy, and this move will help focus funding on certifiable and industry-recognised courses of higher quality. For those in the higher tier, SSG has also adjusted its criteria to ensure that funding is accorded to courses that deliver stronger enterprise transformation and manpower development objectives.
Shifting focus to skills related to emerging fields and Industry 4.0
Minister of State for Education and Manpower, Ms. Gan Siow Huang, also highlighted three skills demand rapidly emerging for the future economy. As described in the latest Skills Demand for the Future Economy report, demand for workers with skills in the digital, green, and caregiving sectors have surged over the last four years, with figures derived from demand growth and transferability from 2018 to 2021.
The adoption of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) such as robots and automation has helped transformed businesses and plug workforce gaps, with the onset of the pandemic having accelerated this move for many organisations globally. This, together with climate and ageing population concerns has created urgent need to upskill the workforce to support job roles that require a bundle of I4.0, digital and green skills.
To address these opportunities, the SkillsFuture Series courses will be refreshed and reorganised to focus on training that support these emerging industry trends and priority skills. In his speech at the SkillsFuture Fellowships and Employer Awards Ceremony held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Education Minister Mr. Chan added that the government wished to support these mature professionals in career switches within the same sector, or across it by “highlighting possible upskilling pathways and available resources.”
Deepening partnerships to support adult education
To augment the existing CET centres providing training, the government is also looking to deepen ties with other education institutes in the Training and Adult Education (TAE) sector and the industry itself.
In 2022, we saw many landmark agreements and initiatives made to uplift the training and adult education sector. One such example is the partnership forged between Singapore’s Institute for Adult Learning (IAL) and SkillsFuture Singapore, alongside NTUC LearningHub and Singapore's five polytechnics, to collaborate in the CET space. Memoranda of Understandings (MOUs) were also signed by SSG with five Trade Associations & Chambers (TACs) and Professional Bodies, appointing them as “Skills Development Partners” to enhance the identification of needed sectoral skills, link skills to business transformation, and assist companies in recognising skill acquisition and mastery as an asset to growth.
Institutes of Higher Learning like SMU Academy acquired partnerships with esteemed organisations to offer targeted training across sectors. Some of these Memorandums of Understanding signed furnished education to adult learners in e-commerce skills with Synagie, legal bar exam preparatory course with RHT Legal Training Institute, and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence with Artificial Intelligence International Institute (AIII) and the Risk and Insurance Management Association of Singapore (RIMAS).
Return of physical events to reach out to more Singaporeans on lifelong learning
Getting acquainted with these new programmes was much easier this year with the return of physical events, such as the SkillsFuture Festival which ran across the island from 5 July to 14 August. With more than 100 outreach events, roadshows and worships that catered to both individuals and enterprises, this year’s Festival generated much excitement and enabled a more personalised experience for those looking to explore new career paths.
SMU Academy was on-site at roadshows and fairs, introducing guests to a plethora of relevant courses for emerging industries. We were represented on a panel discussion for enterprises looking to kickstart their sustainability journey at the SkillsFuture Festival Going Green for Growth, and visitors could also learn about the Web 3.0 and emerging digital skills at SkillsFuture Festival CodeFuture.
Upskill or reskill, one can discover many relevant career-enhancing courses at SMU Academy.
