Singapore’s

SkillsFuture Movement
What is the SkillsFuture Movement?
A national movement to provide
Singaporeans with the
opportunities to develop their
fullest potential through life
through skills mastery and lifelong
learning

 Declining workforce growth and  Need to move towards a productivity

ageing population and innovation-driven economy

 Technology and globalization  Need to ensure workers’ skills

are changing jobs and skills remain relevant and future-ready

 Aspirations for higher academic  Need to ensure good employment

qualifications remain strong outcomes while preventing “paper chase”

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Key Thrusts of the SkillsFuture Movement

"Our future must be about mastery

of skills, in every job, and enabling
every Singaporean to develop
themselves to the fullest. We are
going to put full effort into this, and
it involves everyone - Government,
employers, unions and all of us as
individuals.”

DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam

SkillsFuture Council 2014

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SkillsFuture Initiatives – Something for everyone

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Key Initiatives for Individuals
INITIATIVES BENEFICIARIES DETAILS
Students / Early Career

Enhanced Meaningful work assignments and industry

Polytechnic and ITE Students
Internships exposure to deepen and apply skills

SkillsFuture Work- Institution-based learning with structured

Study Degree University Students on-the-job training
Programmes
SkillsFuture Earn Structured training with industry-
and Learn Polytechnic and ITE Graduates recognised certification and sign-on
Programme incentive of S$5,000
Mid-Career
Provides $500 credit (in addition to existing
SkillsFuture Credit All Singaporeans 25 years and course fee subsidies) for a wide range of
above work skills-related courses
Early to mid-career
SkillsFuture S$5,000 for training courses to develop
Singaporeans in key growth
Study Awards and deepen specialist skills
sectors
Mid-career Singaporeans with
SkillsFuture S$10,000 for training courses to continue
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significant work experience in
Fellowships pursuit of skills mastery
the same industry/occupation
Enhanced Internships
To provide students with a more meaningful internship experience
and better support for structured workplace learning

 Enhanced Internships are a

component of full-time courses by
polytechnics and ITE. They help
students make better career
choices through real-world
exposure to the industries.

– More defined learning outcomes and

structured activities
– Better integration of internship and
classroom learning
– Extended internships to support better
learning and enhancement of skills

 By 2020, all polytechnic and

ITE courses will offer Enhanced
Internships

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 SkillsFuture Work-Study Degree Programmes

To allow students to acquire deep technical and essential generic skills,

to facilitate their transition to the workplace after graduation

 Curricula that closely interlace

institution-based learning with structured
on-the-job training through partnering with
companies on the development and delivery
of the programmes

 Degree programmes delivered through:

- Term-in/Term-out: Alternate between one to
two terms (or trimesters) in university and at
work
- 4-day Work/1-day Study or 3-day Work/2-
day Study

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SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programmes
To provide fresh graduates from polytechnics and ITE a head-start
in careers related to their discipline of study

 For Singaporeans and Permanent

Residents who are within three years of
either graduation from the ITE and
polytechnics or completion of National
Service

 Individuals matched with a job related to

their study and undergo a 12- to 18-month
structured training programme, and receive
industry-recognised certifications

 S$5,000 for individuals and S$15,000 for

employers to defray the costs of developing
structured training and career progression
pathways

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SkillsFuture Credit
To empower individuals in their learning and development, and to
deepen and broaden their skills

 SkillsFuture Credit will be given to all

Singaporeans aged 25 years and above

 The credit will not expire and the

government will provide periodic top-
ups. It can be used on top of existing
government course subsidies

 > 20,000 skills-related courses

supported by government agencies
E.g.
v' Language Skills
v' Information and Communications
v' Food and Beverages
v' Workplace Safety and Health
v' Personal Development

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Course Fee Funding Support for
Continuing Education and Training
Courses/Programmes Target Audience Funding Support
Courses offered by SSG- Rank-and-File Workers Up to 90% of course fees
appointed CET Centres*

*Continuing Education and Training (CET)

Centres are training providers which offer
WSQ courses and employment advisory
and placements
Certifiable Courses approved
by SSG
Professionals, Managers,
Executives and Technicians
(PMETs)
Rank-and-File Workers
Up to 70% of course fees
80% of course fees, capped at $17
per hour

PMETs 50% of course fees, capped at $15

per hour

SkillsFuture Mid-Career Singaporeans aged 40 and Up to 90% course fee subsidy for
Enhanced Subsidy above SSG and MOE funded courses

Workfare Training Support For Singaporeans aged 35 years 95% of course fees
(WTS) and above, and earn ≤ $2,000
per month

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SkillsFuture Study Awards
To encourage and support early to mid-career Singaporeans develop
and deepen specialist skills needed in priority sectors

 Early to mid-career Singaporeans

who are committed to developing and
deepening their skills in key growth
sectors and have relevant working
experience in such sectors

 Monetary award of S$5,000 to

defray out-of-pocket expenses
associated with the course

 Individuals can apply or be

nominated by their employers

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SkillsFuture Fellowships
To encourage and support early to mid-career Singaporeans develop
and deepen specialist skills needed in priority sectors

 Singaporeans with at least 10 years of

working experience in the same (or related)
industry or job functions, are advocates of
lifelong learning, and devoted to mentoring and
developing others

 Monetary award of S$10,000 to support

their journey towards skills mastery in their
respective fields

 Training can be across broad range of

skills upgrading programmes

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Industry Manpower Plans
(part of Industry Transformation Maps)
To create a sectoral and forward-looking approach to developing
skills needed for our economic and social sectors

 IMPs bring together employers, unions, education and training providers,

trade associations and the Government, to project future skills needs within
each sector and to set out a systematic plan to develop those skills in the
local workforce

– Identify current and future skills needs and quality jobs

– Develop clear progression pathways, integrating education, training and development
– Attract, retain and develop pool of talent in key sectors

 The work on the IMPs is being incorporated as part of the larger Industry
Transformation Maps (ITMs), which will integrate strategies covering (a) jobs
and skills, (b) productivity, (c) innovation, (d) internationalisation; and (e)
government enablers

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Skills Frameworks
(key component of Industry Transformation Maps)
To serve as a common skills language for individuals, employers, education
& training providers

 Developed for the workforce by the Government

together with employers, unions, and professional
bodies. It provides key information on:

– Sector & employment information

– Career pathways
– Occupations & job roles
– Skills & competencies
– Training programmes

 Individuals can assess if their skills match their

career interests and find relevant programmes to
obtain or deepen skills
 Employers can design progressive human
resource practices to recognise skills and make
informed decisions on skills investment
 Training providers can develop responsive
industry-relevant programmes

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More information available at
www.skillsfuture.sg