Latest news with #SkillsFutureCredits
Straits Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Forum: Use up SkillsFuture credits, but be selective about courses
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox As a Gen Z Singaporean actively learning new skills, I'd like to share my thoughts on SkillsFuture Credits after reading the article ' More than 70% of Singaporeans have yet to use SkillsFuture Credit top-up expiring end-2025 ' (June 10) and following online discussions. While SkillsFuture is a good initiative, many Singaporeans feel some courses lack depth or practical value. On Reddit, users have described certain offerings as outdated or too superficial, resulting in certificates with little real benefit. From my experience, SkillsFuture can be useful – but only with careful course selection. The quality of providers varies widely. I was fortunate to attend a programme that broadened my understanding of AI innovation and design thinking. For those looking to switch careers or improve their employability, longer, job-focused programmes like the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme are worth considering. It's worrying that over 70 per cent of Singaporeans haven't used their $500 top-up, which expires on Dec 31. I hope more people will make full use of it – for meaningful upskilling, not just hobby courses. Ultimately, SkillsFuture is a tool, not a magic key, to a new job. It still takes personal effort and market-relevant skills. Amos Lau Lip Hui
Straits Times
26-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Forum: Broaden SkillsFuture support for industry-specific training
A few months ago, I attended a Singapore Maritime Foundation forum on global industry trends. Expert speakers urged the attendees – mostly in their late 30s or 40s – to seize opportunities and upgrade their knowledge and skills to remain relevant. Motivated, I searched for relevant courses on the SkillsFuture platform, but was disappointed. First, the courses I was interested in were not eligible for additional funding under the SkillsFuture Credits (Mid-Career), or SCMC, scheme. While Singaporeans still receive fee discounts for these courses, the lack of subsidies under SCMC means a significant cash outlay for an independent applicant without company sponsorship. Second, it is baffling that none of the shipping courses offered by the Baltic Academy is available under the SkillsFuture platform. As the educational arm of the Baltic Exchange – an organisation first established in 1900 to represent the global shipping community and acquired by the Singapore Exchange in 2016 – its courses would be suitable for mid-career shipping professionals looking to deepen industry expertise. I hope the SCMC scheme can be extended to more courses, including those outside the local education eco-system but which are industry-specific and recognised internationally. This would make SkillsFuture a more relevant and useful platform for mid-career professionals looking to reskill or upskill. Sim Eng Cheong More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
