IT courses the most popular with Singaporeans using SkillsFuture credit

THE most popular area of training for Singaporeans using their SkillsFuture credit last year was information and communications technology.

The subject topped the areas of training for Singaporeans across all five age groups above 25, according to SkillsFuture Singapore.

While younger Singaporeans enrolled for courses such as data analytics, older ones acquired more fundamental skills such as the basic functions of a computer, it said.

Some 126,000 Singaporeans used their SkillsFuture credit last year, with this number evenly spread across all five age groups, though the average utilisation was highest among Singaporeans aged 25 to 29.

2016 was the first year of the SkillsFuture initiative, in which all Singaporeans aged 25 and above receive a credit of S$500 they can use to pay or offset course fees so as to deepen their expertise or acquire new skills.

Other popular areas of training last year include language skills, productivity and innovation and security and investigation, said SkillsFuture Singapore.

It added that there was also a significant increase in the number of courses eligible for the scheme last year, growing from more than 10,000 in January to over 18,000 by December.