Life-Long Learning for Singaporeans

As part of the Budget 2015 announcement yesterday, every Singaporean over the age of 25 will receive a credit of $500 as part of the scheme known as SkillsFuture. This credit will not expire and will be topped up at regular intervals for Singaporeans to upgrade their skills.

SkillsFuture will pour over $1 billion a year from now to 2020 on initiatives such as career guidance for students, enhanced internships, and subsidies for mid-career learning, among others. About $600 million a year over the last five years have already been spent on continuing education and training.

Details of the SkillsFuture Programme:

Learning Throughout Life

Individual Learning Portfolio (ILP)

ILP is a one-stop education, training and career guidance online portal that will empower every Singaporean to plan their education and training into their working life. They can discover their interests, abilities and career aspirations, and explore various education pathways before they enter the workforce. Individuals can also use ILP to search for suitable jobs and manage their careers. For individuals in their mid-careers, the ILP serves to inform individuals of skills gaps that they may need to remain relevant in the workforce. This will be rolled out in 2017.

SkillsFuture Credit

Every Singapore citizen aged 25 years and above will receive an opening credit of $500 to support his or her learning needs at every stage of life, including those seeking to re-enter the workforce. The credit can be used for work-skills related courses supported by public agencies, including the full range of WSQ and non-WSQ courses funded by WDA, courses at our post-secondary educational institutions, and courses funded by other public agencies. Periodic top-ups to the SkillsFuture Credit account will also be made. This will be rolled out in 2016.

Employees (Early Career)

SkillsFuture Earn-and-Learn Programme

This is a place-and-train programme for fresh polytechnic and ITE graduates, so they can be placed with an employer and have opportunities to learn through structured on-the-job training and institution-based training. This programme will equip graduates with industry-relevant skills. Those who successfully complete this programme will receive industry-recognised qualifications and a sign-on incentive.

SkillsFuture Study Awards

This programme is for those in their early and mid-career so they can develop and deepen their skills in future growth clusters. A monetary award of $5000 will be given to 2,000 individuals per year, on top of the normal course fee subsidies.

Employees (Mid-Career Onwards)

Skills-Focused Modular Courses

There will be a wider range and scale of short, skills-focused modular courses relevant to industry needs to help Singaporeans with more opportunities to acquire relevant skills.

Enhanced Course Subsidies

All Singaporeans aged 40 and above will receive a minimum of 90% course fee subsidy for WDA-funded courses, including modular courses in publicly funded post-secondary education institutions, and additional reductions in MOE-funded diploma and degree courses. This is an additional 20 to 40 per cent increase in subsidy for WDA-funded courses at the PME level and a 6 to 20 per cent increase for diploma and degree courses subsidised by MOE.

SkillsFuture Fellowships

This programme develops individuals with deep skills expertise or mastery in growth and priority sectors. It will also sponsor a range of education and training options, in both craft-based and knowledge-based areas. $10,000 cash will be given to up to 100 individuals with deep skills expertise to recognise their skills and enable them to achieve mastery in their respective fields. This will take effect in 2016.

Employers

SkillsFuture Earn-and-Learn Programme

Under this programme, fresh ITE and polytechnic graduates will get placed with employers and learn through structured on-the-job training and institution based training. Employers can receive up to $15,000 to offset the cost of developing and providing the structured training.

Sectoral Manpower Plans (SMP)

Under the SMP, there will be tighter efforts with industry and unions to encourage employers to proactively develop every worker, provide career pathways and value master of skills as employees advance in careers. This will be rolled out in 23 key sectors by 2020.

SkillsFuture Mentors

There will be a central pool of mentors who specialise in industry-relevant skills to provide guidance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the implementation of skills deepening initiative.

SkillsFuture Leadership Development Initiative

Under this initiative, there will be increased collaborations with companies to design and enhance developmental opportunities for high-potential talents.

Training Providers/Adult Educators

Innovation Lab (iN.LAB)

The Innovation Lab will spur and support innovation efforts in training, creating a conducive environment for training providers and adult educators to collaborate, experiment and innovate pedagogical and learning solutions.

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