660,000 took part in SkillsFuture-supported programmes in 2021

THERE were some 660,000 participants in programmes supported by SkillsFuture Singapore in 2021, including over 100,000 training places taken up under extended Covid-19 support schemes, the government agency said at its year-in-review on Tuesday (Jan 8).

The headline figure was up from 540,000 in 2020, and marked the highest annual number since SkillsFuture began in 2014. Some 24,000 enterprises benefitted, up from 14,000 in 2020.

The rise might have been due to greater outreach efforts by SSG; workers having more time to attend courses; and the pandemic having highlighted the need "to be on your feet and pick up new things", said Tan Kok Yam, chief executive, SSG.

For Covid-19 support specifically, however, the take-up rate has moderated since the height of the pandemic.

In 2021, there were 12,000 training places taken up under 2 national SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package: close to 8,000 under the SGUnited Skills Programme, and over 4,000 under the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme – Company Training.

In contrast, for the half year from July to December 2020, about 9,800 individuals had enrolled into these 2 programmes in total, significantly more than half the 2021 full-year figure.

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Both train-and-place schemes have been extended till Mar 31, 2022.

While SSG had train-and-place schemes before, this aspect of their work "went to a different gear" with the two SGUnited programmes, said Tan. SSG is looking at how to continue this approach beyond pandemic-era support, he added.

In 2021, another 91,000 training places were supported by the Enhanced Training Support Package (ETSP), which was extended till end-2021. This provided enhanced absentee payroll support for firms which sent employees for eligible training programmes, and gave higher course fee subsidies for firms in 8 harder-hit sectors.

From its launch in March 2020 till Dec 2020, the ETSP supported 155,000 training places that year, more than the full-year 2021 figure.

But take-up rose for other SSG initiatives. For instance, some 247,000 Singaporeans used their SkillsFuture Credit in 2021, up from 188,000 in 2020.

As for firms, over 10,000 used the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit to send employees for SSG-supported training, up from 3,400 in 2020.

More firms also made use of the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning - 960, more than four times the 180 who did so in 2020 - as well as the SkillsFuture Queen Bee initiative, under which some 500 firms tapped the expertise of industry leaders, doubling from the year before.

There were 650 firms participating in SkillsFuture Work-Study programmes, up from 590 in 2020. They offered placements to about 1,700 students.

In the year ahead, SSG intends to improve its existing training quality and outcomes measurement framework, which is based on post-course surveys. It is also working to update the industry transformation map for the training and adult education sector through 2025.

On the outreach front, SSG is working with government-linked agency SG Enable to meet the needs of persons with disabilities, and with other community partners to reach lower-income workers, said Tan. (see amendment note)

Amendment note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to SG Enable as a government agency, when SG Enable is actually a government-linked agency.