Proposal for SkillsFuture to Partner AUs to Provide Subsidised Courses in High-demand Sectors and Implementing Consolidated Lifelong Learning Accounts
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Yip Hon Weng’s proposal for SkillsFuture to partner with autonomous universities (AUs) to provide subsidised high-demand courses and implement consolidated lifelong learning accounts. Minister Desmond Lee responded that AUs already receive funding to deliver programs like micro-credentials and career transition courses, guided by labour market insights from the Jobs-Skills Portal. He highlighted that Singaporeans receive an initial $500 SkillsFuture Credit at age 25 and additional support through the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme at age 40. Furthermore, the Career and Skills Passport serves as a personal account to track skills acquisition and provide personalised training advisories for citizens throughout their working lives. These initiatives are designed to strengthen the nexus between skills demand and training supply while facilitating a structured, long-term approach to lifelong learning and career health.
Transcript
81 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will refresh the SkillsFuture model by (i) formally partnering with the Autonomous Universities to provide subsidised courses in high-demand sectors; and (ii) implementing consolidated lifelong learning accounts to facilitate structured, long-term skills progression instead of the current fragmented usage of credits.
Mr Desmond Lee: Under SkillsFuture, our autonomous universities deliver training programmes with funding from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) to meet different upskilling and reskilling needs. These include curated, short training programmes that focus on emerging skills, SkillsFuture Career Transition Programmes, as well as full qualifications and stackable micro-credentials. To tighten the nexus between skills demand and training supply, SkillsFuture Singapore regularly monitors labour market skills needs and provides jobs and skills insights, tools and resources through the Jobs-Skills Portal.
SkillsFuture Singapore provides a range of training support, to help Singaporeans develop to their full potential throughout life. At the age of 25, all Singaporeans receive an opening SkillsFuture Credit of $500, which does not expire and can be used for a wide range of skills-based courses. When they reach 40, Singaporeans receive further training support under the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, in the form of additional credits and the Training Allowance, to pursue a substantive skills reboot, to help them stay competitive in a rapidly changing economy. This structured approach to training support recognises that learning needs may evolve throughout one's career.
The Career and Skills Passport, a joint career health initiative between Ministry of Manpower and MOE/SSG, also serves as a personal skills account for every adult Singaporean to track his acquisition of skills through upskilling and work experience. SSG has started to develop personalised training advisories based on this passport, to provide structured guidance to the individual throughout his working life.