SkillsFuture movement must make training easier to access, relevant to industry: PM Wong
More initiatives to be launched in the year of its 10th anniversary
[SINGAPORE] In its next phase, the SkillsFuture movement must make it easier for adult workers to access training, design courses with industry needs in mind and strengthen a culture of lifelong learning, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday (May 23).
He was speaking at SkillsFuture’s 10th anniversary event, where its digital Career and Skills Passport was officially launched.
About a fifth of Singapore’s workforce take part in SkillsFuture-supported training each year, with many securing better jobs with higher pay, noted PM Wong. Employer participation has doubled to 24,000 in 2024, from 12,000 when SkillsFuture began in 2015.
“There is still much more we can do to maximise the impact of SkillsFuture and take it to even greater heights,” he said.
He laid out three goals for the movement in its next phase. First, it must make it easier for adult workers to access industry-relevant training.
Today’s advanced economy and better-educated workforce mean that training needs and aspirations are more diverse – but too much choice can also lead to confusion, said PM Wong.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
“As a government working with our partners, we have to do better at curating the courses and helping Singaporeans identify the ones that give them maximum benefits and that are suited to them.”
For instance, just as basic literacy was important in the past, basic artificial intelligence (AI) literacy will become fundamental, he said. The SkillsFuture movement should answer questions such as what AI courses to take, and how to raise AI proficiency across the workforce.
The new Career Health Initiative will give Singaporeans tools and services to chart the training needed for better career outcomes, he added. This will be launched at the inaugural Career Health Summit in July.
In a panel discussion at the event, Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang drew an analogy with choosing health supplements at a pharmacy, where “you may not know which brand or which type of supplement suits you”.
“Similarly, courses that strengthen your career are also many and hard to navigate. You can’t do this by yourself,” she said, adding that this is where the government can help.
National Trades Union Congress deputy secretary-general Desmond Tan similarly highlighted the need to give workers “ownership of the skills needed for their current job and also potential skill sets they may need to acquire to stay relevant and employed”.
Second, said PM Wong, SkillsFuture must be more industry-oriented, with courses designed for industry needs and incentives for businesses to invest in training.
That is why employers receive funding in the form of the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit. Yet, while take-up has increased, it has not been as high as desired, said the prime minister.
As announced in Budget 2025, the credit is being redesigned so that employers can use the funds immediately, instead of having to be reimbursed. It will be ready in the second half of the year.
Third, Singapore must strengthen the culture of lifelong learning and skills development, which requires a “major mindset shift”.
In a rapidly changing world, the skills required will also change over time, said PM Wong. He called on everyone – individuals, employers, the labour movement and training providers – to do their part.
Panellist and SkillsFuture Fellowships recipient Chong Yoke Sin noted that AI will drive faster changes in jobs, saying: “Nothing that you learn is going to be permanent. Every six months, you need to upgrade your skills.”
Dr Chong, a member of various corporate boards, also highlighted the need for a close relationship between employers and employees. Greater employee loyalty will ease employers’ fears that they may invest in training only to see reskilled staff leave for other opportunities, she added.
DBS bank group executive and group head of institutional banking Han Kwee Juan highlighted the importance of career conversations, with managers needed to be trained on how to conduct these.
Career and Skills Passport
Between its soft launch in November 2024 and April, the Careers and Skills Passport had been accessed by some 315,000 Singaporeans, said SkillsFuture Singapore (SkillsFuture SG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) in a joint statement.
The digital “passport” brings together an individual’s verified career and skill records, including employment history, qualifications and certifications.
Users can curate and share selected records with employers and job portals such as JobStreet and FastJobs through a hyperlink. Some 4,900 have already done so.
With this passport, employers require less time to screen applicants, and face a lower risk of misrepresented information. Around 30 public and private employers have adopted or will be adopting the passport.
New initiatives
More SkillsFuture initiatives are coming up later this year.
WSG is engaging partners to deliver targeted career guidance programmes for different worker groups. This month, in partnership with Republic Polytechnic, it is rolling out a pilot series of workshops to support about 1,000 individuals to plan their later-stage careers.
In the third quarter of the year, the existing CareersFinder tool will be enhanced. The tool provides personalised upskilling and career recommendations.
SkillsFuture SG will launch two digital tools for employers: the free-to-use Enterprise Skills Dashboard for skills-related insights and customised training recommendations; and the subsidised Skills Profiling Tool for benchmarking employees’ skills readiness, identifying skills gaps and getting training recommendations.
In the fourth quarter, the Centre for Skills-First Practices will be launched to inform policy and programme design.
The initiative will have collaborations with international organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and Burning Glass Institute.
SkillsFuture SG, WSG and the Institute for Adult Learning will also publish a Jobs-Skills Insights report, with insights on how jobs and skills have changed in different sectors.
Additionally, a new Training and Adult Educator Professional Pathway will aim to raise professional standards among adult educators.
Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.
