Take-up Rate for Skillsfuture Courses amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the uptake of online SkillsFuture courses during the pandemic and the outreach efforts to encourage upskilling, as raised by Dr Wan Rizal. Minister of State for Education Ms Gan Siow Huang stated that e-learning places grew to 100,000 in early 2020, with approved e-learning courses increasing to over 2,800 by September. Outreach through partnerships with Workforce Singapore and NTUC e2i resulted in 1,700 enrollments in SGUnited programmes, while a new one-on-one advisory service supported over 2,100 individuals. Furthermore, collaborations with the People’s Association and Community Development Councils delivered over 700 workshops to more than 14,000 participants to promote career transition and progression. The Ministry remains committed to enhancing these outreach efforts to ensure Singaporeans are aware of available reskilling and upskilling opportunities.
Transcript
14 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Education (a) whether there has been an increased uptake of online SkillsFuture courses in the pandemic period from the start of the year to date current, compared to previous years; and (b) what outreach efforts have been undertaken by the Ministry in encouraging Singaporeans to upskill or re-skill themselves during a crisis.
The Minister of State for Education (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, in the first half of 2020, there were approximately 100,000 training places for SkillsFuture Singapore, or SSG-funded courses conducted in e-learning mode, compared to 600 in 2019. The number of courses approved to run in e-learning mode has also grown from about 60 in December 2019, to more than 2,800 as at September this year. These include over 2,000 courses that were converted from in-person or blended learning mode to e-learning mode this year.
SSG has significantly stepped up outreach efforts in this extraordinary period. SSG partners agencies such as Workforce Singapore or WSG, NTUC Employment and Employability Institute or e2i, and self-help groups to publicise upskilling and reskilling opportunities in career events and at the SGUnited Jobs and Skills centres. As at end of August this year, about 1,700 individuals have enrolled in the SGUnited Skills and SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways (Company Training) programmes.
SSG has also introduced a new Skills and Training Advisory service in this period. Recognising the need for more personalised support to individuals, this provides one-on-one consultation on skills and training needs, as well as suitable courses to support individuals' career transition and progression need. From January to September this year, over 2,100 individuals have tapped on the Skills and Training Advisory service.
SSG also continues to partner the People's Association and the Community Development Councils or CDCs to run SkillsFuture Advice workshops and webinars. These have been stepped up this year, in particular with the SkillsFuture@CDC initiative. Thus far, we have delivered more than 700 physical and virtual workshops to over 14,000 participants. And I have personally participated in a few myself.
We will continue to enhance outreach efforts to ensure that Singaporeans are aware of the reskilling and upskilling opportunities and support available.