Presentation by Mr. Eric Chin, Skills Future SG, at the 9th OECD Southeast Asian Regional Policy Network on Education and Skills 11-12 October 2017, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. More information: http://www.oecd.org/employment/leed/employmentesssa.htm

1. Singapore’s
SkillsFuture Movement

2. 2
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
ageing population
• Technology and globalization are
changing jobs and skills
• Aspirations for higher academic
qualifications remain strong
• Need to move towards a productivity and
innovation-driven economy
• Need to ensure workers’ skills remain
relevant and future-ready
• Need to ensure good employment
outcomes while preventing “paper chase”

3. 3
"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
Key Thrusts of the SkillsFuture Movement

4. 4
SkillsFuture Initiatives – Something for everyone

5. 5
Key Initiatives for Individuals
INITIATIVES BENEFICIARIES DETAILS
Students / Early Career
Enhanced
Internships
Polytechnic and ITE Students
Meaningful work assignments and industry
exposure to deepen and apply skills
SkillsFuture Work-
Study Degree
Programmes
University Students
Institution-based learning with structured
on-the-job training
SkillsFuture Earn
and Learn
Programme
Polytechnic and ITE Graduates
Structured training with industry-
recognised certification and sign-on
incentive of S$5,000
Mid-Career
SkillsFuture Credit
All Singaporeans 25 years and
above
Provides $500 credit (in addition to existing
course fee subsidies) for a wide range of
work skills-related courses
SkillsFuture
Study Awards
Early to mid-career
Singaporeans in key growth
sectors
S$5,000 for training courses to develop
and deepen specialist skills
SkillsFuture
Fellowships
Mid-career Singaporeans with
significant work experience in
the same industry/occupation
S$10,000 for training courses to continue
pursuit of skills mastery

6. 6
Enhanced Internships
• 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
To provide students with a more meaningful internship experience and
better support for structured workplace learning

7. 7
SkillsFuture Work-Study Degree Programmes
• 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
To allow students to acquire deep technical and essential generic skills, to
facilitate their transition to the workplace after graduation

8. 8
SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programmes
• 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
To provide fresh graduates from polytechnics and ITE a head-start in
careers related to their discipline of study

9. 9
 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.
 Language Skills
 Information and Communications
 Food and Beverages
 Workplace Safety and Health
 Personal Development
SkillsFuture Credit
To empower individuals in their learning and development, and to deepen
and broaden their skills

10. 10
Course Fee Funding Support for
Continuing Education and Training
Courses/Programmes Target Audience Funding Support
Courses offered by SSG-
appointed CET Centres*
Rank-and-File Workers Up to 90% of course fees
Professionals, Managers,
Executives and Technicians
(PMETs)
Up to 70% of course fees
Certifiable Courses approved
by SSG
Rank-and-File Workers 80% of course fees, capped at $17
per hour
PMETs 50% of course fees, capped at $15
per hour
SkillsFuture Mid-Career
Enhanced Subsidy
Singaporeans aged 40 and
above
Up to 90% course fee subsidy for
SSG and MOE funded courses
Workfare Training Support
(WTS)
For Singaporeans aged 35 years
and above, and earn ≤ $2,000
per month
95% of course fees
*Continuing Education and Training (CET)
Centres are training providers which offer
WSQ courses and employment advisory
and placements

11. 11
SkillsFuture Study Awards
• 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
To encourage and support early to mid-career Singaporeans develop and
deepen specialist skills needed in priority sectors

12. 12
SkillsFuture Fellowships
• 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
To encourage and support early to mid-career Singaporeans develop and
deepen specialist skills needed in priority sectors

13. 13
Industry Manpower Plans
(part of Industry Transformation Maps)
• 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
To create a sectoral and forward-looking approach to developing skills
needed for our economic and social sectors

14. 14
Skills Frameworks
(key component of Industry Transformation Maps)
• 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
To serve as a common skills language for individuals, employers, education
& training providers

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16. More information available at
www.skillsfuture.sg